Regular visits to the dentist may not be as nerve-wracking as when you experience an emergency. Knocked-out teeth, severe toothaches, and abscesses can make you extremely anxious when you don't understand the remedies.

Explore some tips on how to manage your anxiety during a dental emergency.

Bring Someone With You to the Dentist

Dental emergencies will require a thorough examination to identify the cause and treatment measures. This process can be stressful to handle alone. So, have someone you trust by your side to ease your emotions during these examinations.

If it is a severe issue like an abscess, bring someone naturally reassuring and calm. With such a person by your side, you can feel confident in handling any outcome.

Stay Comfortable While In the Waiting Area

Some dental emergencies, such as cracked tooth and tooth pain, may not be as serious as you think. And even if it is, getting agitated and pacing back and forth while in the waiting area may not help. But, if you sit comfortably, you'll more likely feel calm.

Staying comfortable in the waiting area all lies in your mindset. What you think and feel are two different things. So, take your mind off the pain, and understand that you won’t need to wait a long time before you see the dentist.

Comfort may also come from distracting yourself with the things you find pleasant. For instance, if music calms you down, create a playlist of your favorite songs. You can also try listening to captivating audiobooks and podcasts.

If you like meditating, then breathing exercises will be perfect for you. Starting with your toes, contract and relax your muscles. Then, move all the way up until you relax all the muscles in your body.

Take Deep Breaths

Deep breaths are effective in relieving stress and anxiety. So, when you feel overwhelmed by the pain, try taking deep breaths. Deliberately copying calm breathing patterns relaxes your nervous system.

Deep breaths play the following roles in managing your anxiety:

• Lowers your heart rate. An increased heart rate is one of the symptoms of anxiety. When you breathe deeply, your blood pressure reduces and lowers your heart rate.
• Increases physical energy. Anxiety can weaken your body because it causes a disruption in the immune system. When you take deep breaths, the immune systems gain a carbon dioxide and oxygen balance, strengthening your physical energy.
• Reduces the level of stress hormones in your blood. Anxiety comes from an increased level of stress hormones in your blood, which you can remove by inhaling enough oxygen.

Choose the Best Dentist for Your Condition

With all said and done, your calmness during a dental emergency largely lies in the dentist you choose. An experienced dentist can also do proper dental examinations and treatments.

Staying calm during a dental emergency also depends on the dentist's behavior. Does your dentist acknowledge the awkwardness of the situation? If yes, this simply means they can cultivate open communication.

If you are in extreme pain, go to a dentist who can exercise pain control measures during treatment procedures. They have enough experience to identify your pain relief options. These can be anesthetics that numb the painful area or sedation dentistry.

You should also be comfortable enough with your dentist to share your fears. This way, they will go the extra mile to ensure comfort. For instance, your dentist may put on some of your favorite music during the dental procedure or come up with a hand signal system where you can communicate when the pain becomes unbearable.

You might not completely eliminate your anxiety during a dental emergency since most of these procedures are painful. But you can always take deep breaths, create a positive mindset, and bring friends or relatives with you. At New England Dental Health Services P.C., you will always receive relaxing dentistry services from experienced professionals. Contact us today.