Sponsored by Comfort Dental
If you have had difficult dental experiences, you may be among the 150 million Americans who white-knuckle their way through treatment, or avoid the dentist altogether. The fact is, about 80% of the fearful can overcome dental phobia, with a little help from conscious sedation.
Many dentists understand dental fear and where it comes from. And many are becoming trained in forming good working relationships with fearful patients. Your dentist should encourage you to voice your anxiety and discuss your problems with him or her, before he or she touches a tooth in your mouth.
If you (or someone you care about) has an appointment that’s beginning to darken your thoughts, try this: First focus on the specifics of your dental fear. Is it the procedure in general, or a particular piece of equipment, or a vague sense of invasion of the privacy of your mouth? Once you’ve got it pinned down, talk with your dentist about it. If it’s general dental anxiety, your dentist can help you feel better. If it’s concern over a specific instrument or technique, often your dentist can change the way he does things.
They should listen to your needs, and agree on small things that help you maintain a sense of control – a hand signal works with some patients. But talking about fear with your dentist – being assertive and letting him or her know what bothers you – is the first step. You can help the “pre-op jitters” by avoiding stimulants (coffee, cocoa, sugar) six hours before your visit. And concentrate on breathing naturally; denying yourself oxygen increases anxiety.
Many times, the worst part of a procedure is the anxiety a patient endures before even climbing into the chair. It’s a problem that’s preventable, and your dentist would like to help you with that right now.
If you’re moderately anxious, the dental team can provide distracting diversions to put those concerns to rest. If you’re extremely anxious, they can virtually put anxiety to rest via oral sedation. This approach involves taking a mild sedative before you arrive for your appointment. You remain awake, but extremely relaxed – so relaxed that many patients have all their needed dental work completed in a single office visit. If dental anxiety has kept you from making an appointment you know is needed – a sedation dentist can help!