Frightening drills and impatient, harsh dentists have long sunk into oblivion, but the overwhelming majority of Russian citizens are still afraid to visit a dentist. Fear is still half the trouble, much worse is the situation when fear develops into a phobia and it becomes simply unrealistic to cross the threshold of the office. The result is lost teeth that could be saved and procedures that would be much more painless if you came on time. It is possible and necessary to fight the fear of dentists. What needs to be done for this?
Instructions
Step 1
There is a psychological scheme for dealing with any fear. It consists of two stages - recognizing the existing problem and concretizing your fear. Answer the following questions. Do you delay your visit to the doctor until the last? Are your knees shaking in front of the office? If so, then we must admit that you have a fear of dentists. Well, if you had to faint, bite a doctor or run away in panic, then most likely you have already developed a phobia and only a psychologist can help you.
Step 2
Once you acknowledge your problem, try to elaborate on your fear. What exactly are you afraid of, whether it is real fear or far-fetched. If you are afraid of pain, contracting any disease, incompetence of a doctor or a huge bill for treatment, then these are real fears. And if you are afraid that you will get to the doctor from the horror movie "Dentist", then this fear is far-fetched. And now, having concretized your fear, try to fight it.
Step 3
For example, consider the most common fear of pain. How can you defeat him? At a consultation with your chosen doctor, be sure to discuss all possible methods of anesthesia, their cost and effectiveness. Believe me - the dentist himself does not want to hurt you, because in this case it will be much more difficult for him to treat, and he does not want to lose the client. Of course, there are such neglected problems that cannot be cured without unpleasant sensations (this, by the way, is a good argument for a quick visit to the doctor), but no one will torture you for sure. After all, there is complete anesthesia and many clinics use it.
Step 4
Don't try to conquer your fear with one swoop. Better to act gradually. Come to the clinic, meet the doctor. By the way, you can ask the receptionist to sign you up to the kindest and most patient. Discuss all procedures and costs with him / her. If he inspires confidence in you, immediately schedule the day of treatment. A pain-free visit to the dentist or two will make your fear recede. Do not stop there and be sure to put all your teeth in order. Most likely, the last visits to the dentistry will be calm, and you will be surprised to observe some frightened poor fellow in the waiting room.
Step 5
Another important question is how to prevent the occurrence of such fear in children. You should work on this from an early age. Remember these simple rules: brush your baby's teeth as soon as the first one appears. Be sure to visit a pediatric dentist every six months, who will monitor the growth of teeth and sound the alarm in time in case of caries. It is better to choose a specialized clinic for children. It does not look like a hospital at all, while waiting for your turn you can play and watch cartoons. A child who is accustomed to treating teeth on time from childhood will do this in adulthood. And the very last rule: if you do not want your baby to be afraid of dentists - never tell him that you yourself are afraid of them!
