Most of us would agree that the dentist’s office is no-one’s favourite place to be. E-v-e-r. Patients’ dental anxiety is real. In fact, research suggests that anywhere from 13% to 24% of the general population in North America has some level of dental anxiety (1)(2)(3)(4).
It is very important to Dr. Fox that his patients have fulfilling, comfortable and anxiety-free dental visits.…
Here we’ve put together a list of simple, natural ways for patients to help relieve their own dental anxiety. It is based on decades of first-hand patient experiences at Speedvale Dental Centre. A collaborative effort, the collection is put together by Dr. Fox, many of his patients, and his dental team at Speedvale Dental Centre.
We hope you find some of these suggestions helpful in relieving your own dental anxiety:
- Plan ahead and sleep well the night before your dental office visit
- Practice slow or ayurvedic breathing
- Get a massage before your dental office visit
- Watch what you eat beforehand – high protein foods like salmon, avocados, and yogurt have a calming effect
- Watch what you drink beforehand – avoid caffeine which can make you ‘jittery’
- Do aromatherapy beforehand
- Meditate / practice mindfulness – relaxation starts in the mind
- Do progressive muscle relaxation training – forehead, cheeks, jaw, neck, shoulders…
- Massage your jaw muscles when there is even a brief pause in your dental treatment
- Rub mint oil on the back of your neck – it’s relaxing and neutralizes that sterile “dental office smell”
- Bring along a friend or family member for moral support
- Enjoy a cup of an herbal tea blend beforehand to calm your nerves and relax your jaw and neck muscles
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