Dental Anxiety: Nervous About Visiting the Dentist?
You are not alone. It is estimated that approximately 70% of the population has some degree of anxiety when visiting the dentist. This ranges from mild ‘butterflies in the belly’ to extreme fear.
Fear can often be traced back to an unpleasant or painful procedure, usually at a young age. The brain automatically associates the sight, sounds & smell of the current visit with the past bad experience. The resulting anxiety releases adrenaline which heightens all sensations including pain. Awareness of this process is a big step in overcoming your fear of the dentist or anything else for that matter!