Easing the Nerves at Your Dental Visit

Regular dental check-ups are vital when it comes to maintaining your oral health.  Your dentist will be able to advise you on how to take better care of your teeth, and can also treat problems such as gum disease or tooth decay.  For some, check-ups may be difficult – due to a phobia of the dentist.  Sometimes this can develop from a young age, which could make a patient feel uneasy when it comes to their dental visit.

Dental Phobia – What Is It?

Dental phobia is the name given to patients who feel nervous and anxious when visiting the dentist. Some cases may be worse than others, but it is often that many patients will miss their appointment or will avoid their check-up altogether.  Visiting your dentist regularly is important, so you can keep your teeth healthy, and prevent other oral problems from occurring.

Some people may be afraid of the dentist for many reasons, including:

·         They may be scared of what will happen during the treatment

·         They may have a fear of the dentist him/herself

·         Bad experiences as a child

·         Sounds or smells which trigger worry and anxiety

Sleep Dentistry and Sedation

Many dentists understand the importance of putting patients at ease whilst in their care, and they have developed and adopted a number of techniques to help relax patients. “Sleep dentistry” also known as sedation, is a popular choice for anxious patients.  Once administered, you will be unaware of your check up, so this should take away some of the nervous feelings you may experience whilst in the dentist’s chair.

This a comfortable, non-invasive method of carrying out a dental check-up, and you will be in the best care possible.  Once the treatment has taken place, the sedation will begin to slowly wear off, and patients often state they have little or no memory of what was involved.  This safe method is used on many who suffer from anxiety or dental phobia.  A dental practice will be able to look after you, and carry out a regular visit without you having to worry.

It is important not to miss dental check-ups, and visiting your dentist can have many benefits such as

:

·         Improving your oral hygiene

·         Removing any tartar which has formed on your teeth

·         Ensuring you have no holes in your teeth

·         Providing the correct treatment to maintain the condition of your teeth

·         Giving you advice on how to look after your mouth, teeth and gums

How a Dentist Can Help

Speaking to a dental practice about sleep dentistry will help to give you an idea of what to expect.  They will be able to put your mind at rest, and will spend time talking to you about your needs, and how they can ensure your check-up runs as smooth as possible.

St Piran Dental are able to provide dental sedation for patients who suffer from dental phobia or have any other dental related fears. For more information, you can give them a call on 01872 573 993.

Why you are in safe hands with Sedation Dentists

Do you get nervous before a trip to the dentist?

Do you experience anxiety during your dental appointments?

Have you ever cancelled or postponed a dentist appointment because you are afraid?

Rest assured that if you are scared of visiting the dentist you are not the only one.  Statistics suggest that one in four of us has dental phobia.  This could manifest itself in feelings of anxiety before or during a dental appointment, or at its worst it could even prevent the individual from visiting their dentist altogether.  

The most worrying repercussion of dental phobia is of course a decline in oral health, which is why some dentists, such as St Piran Dental Practice, are leading the way in dental sedation techniques to put nervous patients at ease, and enable them to maintain good dental health.

Consider that a fear of the dentist can be triggered by the dread of many individual elements that might be involved including:

• Needles
• Pain
• Anaesthetics
• Drills
• Embarrassment

As with any phobia, the individual will go to great lengths to avoid these stimuli, which unfortunately means cancelling appointments and avoiding oral health checks.

So what are dentists doing to support their nervous patients?

There are many ways in which those with a dental phobia can help overcome their fears, ranging from hypnotherapy to distraction techniques.  However when the patient requires dental treatment, sedation dentistry may be the best solution.  

Dental sedation not only eliminates the fear and anxiety that patients may feel prior to their appointment – but it also enables the dentist to carry out treatment effectively, without worrying about putting their patient under any undue stress.  This can also mean more complex treatments can be completed in less appointments than would be required if the patient was not under sedation.

There are different methods of sedation available depending on your particular requirements, including inhalation sedation, Intravenous (IV) sedation or oral sedation. Your dentist will explain these in more depth and choose the best option for your needs.

For those of you who have experienced feelings of anxiety when visiting a dentist, it can be very reassuring to know that your dental team specialise in alleviating these concerns, and have tried and tested methods of overcoming your fears to carry out vital dental treatments.  

Are there any other uses for sedation dentistry?

It isn’t only nervous patients who will benefit from being sedated when undergoing dental treatments but also those who have particularly sensitive teeth.  These patients can relax knowing their treatments will be carried out without any pain or discomfort during their appointment.

If you’d like to find out more about dental sedation or how some dentists, like St Piran Dental Practice, put nervous patients at ease please visit their website.