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Dental Anxiety

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Do you suffer from dental anxiety? We’ve got a few tricks to help you relax.

Dental anxiety is quite common in the United States. In fact, nearly 80% of American adults have some fear regarding the dentist and 25% of them completely avoid going, which can become quite dangerous.

A few reasons we may fear the dentist include:

  • The sound of the drill or other tools used
  • The fear of the procedure being painful
  • Not being in control
  • Feeling violated when the dentist or hygienist is working on our teeth
  • Being lectured on not brushing or flossing good enough

The longer you delay going to the dentist, the bigger and more expensive the cost will be if there are problems to fix. To help you conquer your fear and keep your teeth healthy, here are 5 ways you can try to overcome your fear of the dentist:

  1. Talk to your dentist about a possible strategy to make the visit more comfortable and relaxing for you.
  2. Bring headphones to plug into your phone or iPod to listen to music while the dentist or hygienist works on your teeth.
  3. Bring someone, like a friend or family member, to your appointment to help keep you calm.
  4. Come up with a hand signal to give to your dentist or hygienist when you want them to give you a break.
  5. Hold something in your hand to help take your mind off of what’s going on.

Another popular way you can consider to help you get over your fear is sedation dentistry. Sedation dentistry uses medication to relax patients during cleanings or other dental procedures. The type of sedation techniques we use at Dental Innovations include:

  • Nitrous Oxide- This is when you breathe in Nitrous Oxide to help you relax during the procedure.
  • Anxiolysis- This is a light form of sedation that can alleviate feelings of anxiety during the course of the dental work.

At Dental Innovations, we want our patients to feel comfortable and relaxed during their visit. With our options of sedation dentistry and our qualified sedation experts, we can ensure that you are in good hands. Feel free to call today to set up a consultation to see if sedation dentistry is appropriate for you.