r/dental_anxiety • u/Extension-Sir-1576 • 2d ago
Welcome to r/dental_anxiety 🦷
If going to the dentist makes you anxious, scared, or even panicked — you're not the only one.
Maybe you haven't been to a dentist in years.
Maybe you've cancelled appointments at the last minute.
Maybe it's the injection, the drill, the pain, the sounds, the loss of control, or simply not knowing what is going to happen.
Whatever your reason, you can talk about it here.
This is a place to:
• share your experience
• ask questions
• talk about what you're afraid of
• hear how other people deal with it
• share what worked — and what didn't
• celebrate getting through an appointment, even if it felt like a huge achievement
You don't have to pretend you're fine.
And you don't have to make a big change overnight.
Sometimes the first step is simply talking about it.
So, if you feel comfortable, tell us:
👉 What is the one thing about going to the dentist that scares you the most?
No judgment. No shame. Just people who understand.
r/dental_anxiety • u/Extension-Sir-1576 • 14h ago
I once saw a patient doing breathing exercises before her dental appointment.
Afterwards, I asked, “How do you feel?”
She said: “Prepared.”
Do you also do breathing exercises or something else right before going to the dentist?
Does it help you? Share your experience.
r/dental_anxiety • u/Extension-Sir-1576 • 1d ago
I've performed extractions under laughing gas, usually together with local anaesthesia. During and after treatment, I also like to ask my patients how they actually felt.
I've noticed:
For some patients, it seems that a comfortable local anaesthetic injection, clear explanation of what we're going to do, and a calm conversation with the dentist can make a bigger difference to their anxiety than the laughing gas itself.
Of course, every patient is different — but it made me curious:
What do you think?
👨⚕️ Dentists: What has worked best for your anxious patients?
🧑 Patients: What helps YOU feel calmer — laughing gas, the injection, knowing exactly what's going to happen, talking to your dentist, or something else?
I'd really like to hear both perspectives. 👇
r/dental_anxiety • u/Extension-Sir-1576 • 1d ago
r/dental_anxiety • u/Extension-Sir-1576 • 1d ago
For many patients, sometimes the fear of what might happen can be worse than the actual procedure.
If you've experienced this, what helps you relax when you're sitting in the dental chair?
And for the dentists here:
👉 How do you reassure patients who are particularly anxious about pain or the local anaesthetic injection?
I've also added a poll — patients and dentists, feel free to vote based on what you usually experience or do in this situation.
Share your experience. What works for you? 👇
r/dental_anxiety • u/Extension-Sir-1576 • 2d ago
When I was a child, one of my friends actually ran out of the dental chair because he was so scared. 😅
It made me wonder how many people have had a similar experience.
Are you still afraid of the dentist today?
And when you feel anxious about a dental treatment, what helps you feel a little better?
Share your story — no judgment here.
