How to Overcome Your Fear of the Dentist

For some of us, a trip to the dentist can actually be a fairly pleasant experience. It involves leaning back, having a chat and often getting our teeth cleaned so that we leave with them looking sparkling white. Perhaps as a child you used to receive a lollypop on each visit and this has left you with positive associations (a Pavlovian technique that really works!).

But while some people have no problem visiting the dentist, for others it can be the stuff of nightmares!

If you find yourself with a phobia of going to the dentist, this might be as a result of a painful experience such as a root canal treatment, or it could be the result of thinking about painful experiences like root canal treatments. It might even be the result of vicarious learning – simply seeing someone else who has had a painful procedure and thus learning a fear of the dentist that way.

Either way, this is something you need to overcome as you will find that otherwise you end up putting off the dentist and that’s when you end up having real problems that result in real pain. You would be less likely to need a root canal treatment for instance if you could catch the early signs of infection.

When you’re in the waiting room, the best way to overcome any anxiety is to breathe slowly and deliberately. This engages the parasympathetic nervous system which counteracts the natural ‘fight or flight response’.

Another tip is to think logically about your fears. Ask yourself why you’re afraid and whether or not your concerns are actually justified. This is called ‘thought challenging’ and is a technique from cognitive behavioral therapy. If your issue persists, you can even try visiting a cognitive behavioral therapist for effective and rapid treatment!