People who fear the dentist put off making appointments, even for simple procedures, such as basic cleanings and regular check-ups. They avoid talking to friends and family about their anxieties because they worry people won’t take their fears seriously. So, people who struggle with dentist phobia feel alone.
Dental Anxiety
But they are not alone. In fact, 1 in 7 Americans struggles with dental anxiety, which is commonly called dentist or dental phobia. It’s likely that you know several people who have mild to severe dental anxiety. If you’re one of those people, there’s more good news.
Many people who avoid the dentist do so because they had a bad experience with a dentist at some point in their life. But dentistry has been evolving. In recent years, developments in the methods and medicines used in dentistry have made procedures painless and more effective.
The best news is that dentists have become increasingly aware of their patients’ needs, including the need to work with a dentist who is sensitive to a person’s fears, discomfort, and anxiety.
The best advances are in sedation dentistry.
Sedation dentistry has made the greatest contribution to treating patients with dental anxiety. If you or someone you love is coping with dentist phobia, then sedation may be the key to getting through any procedure.
There are two types of sedation: conscious and unconscious. The best type of sedation for a patient with dental anxiety depends on the severity of anxiety and the complexity of work that needs to be done.
Conscious sedation dentistry uses a sedative to help the patient completely relax while dental work is being done. These sedatives can be administered orally with a pill such as Halcion or valium or with a gas called nitrous oxide (laughing gas). With conscious sedation, the patient is awake during the procedure, but relaxed, and their anxiety is reduced.
Unconscious sedation, also referred to as sleep sedation or sleep dentistry, is ideal for longer procedures or for patients with more severe dentist phobia. The patient is unconscious, either through an IV sedative or general anesthesia. Sedation goes into effect within a minute and makes it possible for the dentist to complete a series of procedures. The entire procedure is painless. There are fewer trips to the dentist since most of the work can be done in a single session under unconscious sedation. Best of all, when the patient wakes up, their dental treatment is already complete!
Treating Patients with Dental Anxiety
As important as medicine, including sedation, may be in treating patients with dentist phobia, nothing is more important that simply having a good bedside manner. That means dentists need to be sensitive to people’s fears and concerns.
As dentists become more aware of their patients’ worries, they are practicing dentistry in a more compassionate manner. Dentists are increasingly reaching out to people with dental phobia, something that many dentists didn’t understand until recently.
Here at the Blende Dental Group, we’ve been reaching out to people for over 20 years. Our work has always been centered around patients who need special care, from patients with illnesses and disabilities to patients who are simply frightened to make that appointment.
Our job is not just to ensure good dental health; it’s also to ensure that our patients feel secure when they come into our office. We encourage our patients to ask questions, share their concerns, and let us know whenever they need anything. We understand that we are responsible for an important aspect of our patients’ health, and we take that responsibility seriously.
The Blende Dental Group offers Sleep and Sedation Dentistry for patients with dentist phobia. To learn more about dental anxiety, take our FREE dental anxiety quiz. To speak with a patient care coordinator or to schedule an appointment, call 1-800-575-3375.
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