Do Dental Visits Cause You Anxiety?
If you have anxiety or fear about going to the dentist, you are not alone. It is estimated that nearly seventy five percent of adults in the United States experience some amount of fear with regards to visiting a dentist. Unfortunately, this causes patients to avoid the professional dental care their mouth needs to stay healthy. Since we know that oral health and body health are closely linked, it can be detrimental if an anxious patient skips dental visits or avoids the dentist altogether.
Making Dental Visits More Relaxing
If you get sweaty palms or a racing heart at the thought of sitting in the dental chair, it’s okay to admit it and acknowledge it. Next, try to determine the specific cause of your dental anxiety, which can include one or more of the following common reasons why patients get nervous about the dentist:
- Fear of needles
- Fear of pain
- Aversion to sights, smells or sounds of dentist (latex, dental drill, etc)
- Bad experience at the dentist as a child
- Severe gag reflex
If you can pinpoint the cause of your dental anxiety, you can communicate your fears to your dentist. There are many tactics that dentists use to alleviate discomfort and stress. It can be as simple as putting on headphones to muffle the sound of scraping or a dental drill or as extensive as using sedation dentistry to accomplish a fully relaxing experience.
The Perks of Sedation Dentistry
Sedation dentistry can involve taking a prescribed sedative pill just before your appointment or breathing in a colorless gas called nitrous oxide (laughing gas) during your treatment. These methods are designed to put patients into a relaxed, worry-free state while still being able to communicate with their dentist and not be “put to sleep.” Nitrous oxide sedation is even safe for kids, and you can drive yourself home after your visit. Sedation dentistry is available for patients just like you, so don’t be afraid to ask.
At Laguna West Dental, we don’t want your anxiety or fears to stand in the way of a healthy and confident smile. Learn more about how our sedation dentistry services and soothing office amenities can change the way you feel about dentistry.