More than 15% of adults suffer from dental anxiety. Are you one of them?
If the idea of visiting your dentist for a six-month check-up fills you with an intense sense of stress and worry, you may be tempted to skip your appointments altogether. But don’t!
Fear of the dentist is common and highly manageable. There are many strategies available to get the care you need without any paralyzing pangs of anxiety. Consider these ideas to take control of your anxiety and get the dental attention you need.
Dental anxiety creates fear and uneasiness about upcoming dental appointments and procedures. Some people with moderate anxiety can push through their fears, but others find it too difficult to even make an appointment or walk in the door.
There are a few different factors that may be triggering your dental anxiety. Do any of these sound familiar to you?
Fear of pain: The mouth is a highly sensitive area, leading anxious patients to feel terrified of the discomfort they might experience during a cavity filling or root canal. Even if the procedures themselves don’t hurt, the fear and anticipation of potential pain can be even worse.
Side effects: Patients with dental anxiety also consider the side effects, however unlikely or rare, of dental procedures. This creates fear that’s nearly paralyzing.
Loss of control: Nobody likes to lose control, but those with dental anxiety feel especially helpless when laying in the dentist’s chair, mouth wide open. It’s difficult to observe surroundings or talk during dental procedures, leading to a sense of helplessness that quickly triggers anxiety.
Fear of Embarrassment: Other patients may fear the potential embarrassment of a dental appointment more than the work being done. This is especially true for people who don’t like other people entering their personal space. Dental work requires close contact that leads to self-conscious worries about the appearance and odor of the mouth or face.
People who avoid the dentist as a result of severe anxiety become vulnerable to serious oral health problems like tooth decay, infection, and gum disease. Instead of allowing your dental health to be defined by your anxiety, try one of the following strategies. They may help you minimize or eliminate your dental anxiety so that you can get the care and attention you need.
Nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, is a colorless and odorless gas used in the lightest form of sedation dentistry. Laughing gas is very popular because it’s safe and easy to control, even for children!
Unlike other forms of sedation that require IVs or injections, laughing gas is easily administered through a face mask. As you inhale nitrous oxide, it gradually slows your body’s reaction time. Without immediate responses to pain and fear, anxiety decreases, giving you the opportunity to coast through your dental appointment feeling calm and relaxed.
Laughing gas is also the first choice in dental sedation because it doesn’t knock you out or cause a long recovery period. You remain awake and alert while using laughing gas, but with the added benefit of feeling relaxed and unaware of pain. Nitrous oxide also wears off quickly, so you feel normal as you walk out of your procedure.
Oral conscious sedation is also a simple way to combat dental anxiety and bring more comfort to each dental appointment. It involves taking a small sedative pill at a predetermined time before your appointment, so a trusted family member or friend must drive you to and from your appointment to ensure safety.
You’ll take another sedative about an hour before your procedure to initiate the full conscious sedation process. The sedative allows you to remain conscious throughout your appointment, but you will feel entirely relaxed and at ease.
With the use of oral conscious sedation, you’ll know what’s happening without enduring any feelings of worry or anxiety. By the time your medication wears off, your appointment- and your reasons for anxiety- will be over!
Your dentist is talented in many areas, but he isn’t a mind reader. If you want your dentist to help you cope with your dental anxiety, you first need to be honest about your feelings.
You don’t have to feel embarrassed by or ashamed of your dental anxiety. Dentists are professionals who understand that every patient faces unique oral health challenges. You can trust that you are in a judgment-free zone where your feelings will be appreciated and validated.
Sharing your feelings and fears with your dentist will help to ensure that your treatments and procedures are completed in a way that calms, soothes, and reassures you every step of the way.
Music may ease your fears as well by distracting you from the noises and activities occurring around you. Instead of focusing on the sounds of clinking tools, you can enjoy your favorite songs. This is also a mood booster, which may help you approach your appointment with more positivity.
You might feel anxious because you assume you are helpless to take any control over your dental care. There is an easy solution to this problem! Just develop a signal with your hygienist and dentist so that they know when you need a break or are in pain. This puts you back in control of your dental experience and ensures that you won’t have to endure pain and discomfort.
More than anything else, the right dentist is your key to tackling dental anxiety. Dr. Lozano and his team at RB Dental Excellence pride themselves on offering world-class dental services to families living in the San Diego, CA area.
With specialties in family, cosmetic, implant, preventive, and restorative dental services, Dr. Lozano understands the serious implications of dental anxiety and provides personalized sedation dentistry to help all of his patients feel as comfortable as possible.
Call today to make an appointment for the type of compassionate, personalized care you deserve.
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