Just the thought of visiting the dentist is enough to create feelings of fear and anxiety in people throughout the world. For some reason, dentists have a reputation for being cold, rough and uncaring. Unfortunately, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Sure, some dentists are probably a little bit rough, and they might be intimidating or scary – especially to young children – but in reality, the vast majority are highly skilled health professionals who are both gentle and careful.

Even if you accept this, you still may suffer from dental anxiety. Visiting the dentist may be a difficult, harrowing experience for you, and one which you continually put off. Our top 5 tips for overcoming dental anxiety include:

1. Accept Your Fear

One of the first steps to overcoming any fear or phobia is accepting that you have a problem. If you suffer from fear of dentists or dental anxiety, you need to accept that you have a problem, think about why you have a problem and start working towards overcoming it.

2. See A Psychologist

If you continue to suffer from dental anxiety, even after you have identified and accepted your problem, you may have deeper psychological problems. If your anxiety is preventing you from receiving the dental care and attention that you need, then you should consider seeing a psychologist to help you work through it.

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