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How to relax
in the dentists chair.
By Tony Forster
Be cool in the
chair!!!
If you're anything like me
you'll feel varying degrees of anxiety when you find
yourself sitting in the dentists chair, perhaps you
can remember a specific
incident from your childhood that brings back
painful memories or maybe you
don't like the sounds and smells involved. Being
afraid of the dentist is
nothing to be ashamed of and is something most of us
experience at sometime in
our lives.
The good news however is that modern dentistry is is
now a
different experience, modern dentists have a greater
understanding of their
patients fears and concerns and have undergone
additional training to meet
these concerns. Dental practices have also greatly
improved with less painful
treatments, more efficient practices and quicker
dental treatments along with
your dentists empathy make for a much nicer
experience.
Lie back and
think of something nice...
5 things you can do to make the experience more
enjoyable...
1. Arrive relaxed, calm and on time - Plan your
visit
with care, be sure to allow plenty of time to arrive
and park your car if
driving. If you are running late or have difficulty
getting there on time you
will naturally be more stressed. A high level of
stress can make you irritable
and that makes it more difficult to control your
level of anxiety.
2. Try exercising your brain - Don't just sit in the
dentists chair thinking about
nothing or worse still imagining what might happen
but use the time effectively
by thinking about something that will tax your
brain. Why not have brain puzzle
already prepared or perhaps you'd prefer to think
about planning your next
holiday or a home improvement. Whatever you do make
sure you have something to
occupy your mind other than what is going on...
3. You are in control -
It is important that you let your dentists know how
you will signal that you
want them to stop now because you need a break
before the dental treatment can
start again. The mere fact that you can now control
the situation often helps
reduce anxiety and makes the treatment more
bearable.
4. Music can help
- A personal stereo that allows you to play your own
choice of music or a
talking book can help distract your mind and hide
the sound of
treatment.
5. Hypnosis and relaxation - Perhaps your dentists
offer
these techniques which are a little like day
dreaming, these techniques allow
you to gain control over your feelings of distress,
panic or fear, if your
dentist doesn't offer these services they will most
likely be able to suggest
somebody suitable.
Most importantly speak to your dentist and explain
any fears and concerns you may have about your
treatment, a good dentist will
be able to empathize with your feelings and by
carefully explaining what they
are about to do and how, it will go a long way to
resolving your issues without
the need for any other technique, you may even find
yourself looking forward to
next visit???
About the author
Tony Forster has a keen interest in dental care and
bad breath treatment and has compiled many useful
resources at
www.eliminate-bad-breath.info
The content of this article is for information
purposes only, it is advisable to consult your
medical or dental practitioner before implementing
any program or change to your current regime. |