How To Put On A Brave Face During Your Dental Cleaning

Having your teeth cleaned may not sound like your idea of a good time, but because the American Dental Association recommends that you get it done every six months, it's not something that you can skimp on. If you feel like you have a lot of dental anxiety and fears, then you should definitely read this article to a closer look at a few ways to calm yourself down before you go into the dentist for your next cleaning. Ready to learn some more? If so, then read on. 

1.  Take Some Deep Breaths

Oftentimes, you may get so nervous about things that you forget to do the basics: just breathe. Before you walk into the dentist office and are put into a chair, make sure that you take some deep breaths.

If you start to feel panicky, then try closing your eyes, slowly inhaling through your nose, and then exhaling through your mouth. This will help to slow down your heart rate and hopefully make you feel a lot calmer in the process. 

2.  Talk to Your Dentist

Sometimes, the fear of the unknown is what can really make your anxiety peak. Try talking to your dentist before your next dental cleaning, and ask them to talk you through the entire cleaning.

By anticipating the next step, you can hopefully feel a lot more informed about what's going to happen and not feel so freaked out. Plus, when your dentist knows that you are feeling anxious, they are more likely to be conscious of this and be extra gentle. 

3.  Ask About Sedation Dentistry

Because a lot of patients dread going to the dentist, dentists have created something called sedation dentistry. Sedation dentistry is great because they can use different types of it, depending on how much anxiety you have.

For instance, if you have severe anxiety, and you are getting a root canal, they may use general anesthesia. But, if you are just going in to get your teeth cleaned, they may do something like laughing gas to calm your nerves down. 

Having dental anxiety and fears is something that a lot of patients face when they are going in to see the dentist. Rather than skipping another dental cleaning, try these tips, and see if they can calm you down and help you get through your dental cleaning without feeling too overwhelmed, nervous, or anxious during the process.