Anxiety is Normal
Reducing Dental Anxiety
Use relaxing images to take yourself away from your dental fear.
There are a number of techniques available for reducing dental anxiety. By reducing stress you will find it easier to move ahead with your dental treatment.
From the get-go, avoid the trap of self-analysis…
You are not a bad person.
You are not a weak person.
You are not a confused person.
You are simply, a person who feels anxiety about going to the dentist! Due to anxiety your body is experiencing ‘a stress reaction’:
Your sleep may be interrupted.
Your shoulders and stomach can become tight.
You clench your teeth while sleeping causing pain near your ears.
You may become distracted, irritable, and worried.
Remove yourself from your fear. Take your mind to far away places - even if just for a moment.
Be easy on yourself. Do not allow thoughts of failure to enter your mind.
Feeling better is a process, it takes time, but with persistence you will notice improvement. During this journey there will be moments when anxiety resurfaces. If this occurs, how should you respond?
It’s simple, treat yourself kindly and remind yourself, ‘I am ok and I am not going to blame myself for this setback or seek to find fault.
Gently, slowly, I will wash the negative feelings from my body and continue my journey.
Look at yourself objectively. Pretend
that you are standing across the
room, far away from yourself, and
watching yourself from a distance.
Take a moment to show compassion for the person that is sitting there.
Say to yourself, ‘this person deserves understanding, this person deserves a little relief’.
Now you are ready to move ahead. Let’s begin a practical discussion of easy techniques to help you to unwind before and during your dental visit.
Here is an exercise to help you gain control of your anxiety.
Begin by visualizing your anxiety…
Hold out your LEFT HAND, palm down:
This hand represents your ANXIETY.
Now hold out your RIGHT HAND, palm down:
That hand represents YOU.
Place your left hand over your right hand.
That is your anxiety dominating you.
Now switch your hands. Right hand on top of your left.
That is you dominating your anxiety.
Get on top of your anxiety. Be determined. Say to yourself, ‘I will control my anxiety, it will not control me’.
Now stand and inhale. Take a deep, slow breath beginning down in your stomach and rising to fill your lungs. Feel your new power.
It's easy to remember...
Your left hand is anxiety.
Your right hand is you.
You’re the boss.
Control your anxiety.
Don’t let it control you!