Being afraid of seeing the dentist in Whitby isn’t unusual, and lots of people feel at least a little anxiety at the thought of sitting in a dental chair. However, when dental anxiety prevents you from seeing the dentist regularly, it can become a much bigger problem.
If you feel this way and try your hardest to maintain a good oral hygiene routine at home, that is a good start, but it isn’t enough to help prevent common dental diseases like gum disease. It’s essential to see a dentist regularly as dentists have the training and skills to help you maintain good oral health more easily, detecting and treating disease hopefully well before it becomes more serious. Dental hygiene visits are also essential as hygienists use special tools to clean teeth professionally, reducing your risk of dental problems.
We hope that every patient visiting us here at Margolian Dentistry feels relaxed and comfortable as we strive hard to create a friendly and inviting atmosphere, and everyone here is extremely approachable. Anyone who feels a little anxious should let us know when you book your appointment. You will find we go out of our way to help you feel more comfortable, calm and relaxed. If you do have mild dental anxiety, we’ve listed a few easy steps to help you.
Overcoming Mild Dental Anxiety
Mild anxiety can often be overcome in several ways. One way is to talk to us, so we understand how you feel and can work with you to ensure you feel relaxed while receiving essential dental care. Some people find breathing exercises useful in controlling anxiety. The simplest breathing technique is to simply inhale and exhale through your nose, counting to 3 for each inhalation and exhalation. Relaxation techniques can also be useful such as listening to music to distract you, or you can ask our dental team to talk to you during treatment and to explain exactly what is happening right now, whatever helps you feel most comfortable.
Overcoming Severe Dental Anxiety
Severe dental anxiety requires a little extra help, and while the above techniques may be of some use, usually a different approach is needed. Some people find counselling useful as this can uncover the reason for dental phobias, allowing people to work through their feelings and move forward. However, when you need treatment counselling can take too long and isn’t right for everyone, and that’s one reason why we offer sedation dentistry in Oshawa. With sedation dentistry, you can look forward to a much more comfortable and relaxing experience and every option provided is tailored to meet your needs.
Oral Conscious Sedation
Oral conscious sedation will help you feel more relaxed but won’t completely put you to sleep during treatment. You take an oral sedative approximately an hour beforehand so that by the time you sit in the dental chair, you will feel extremely relaxed and comfortable. Sometimes the effects of oral sedation are enhanced with laughing gas, or people with milder anxiety may only need laughing gas to help them feel calmer.
Intravenous Conscious Sedation
More anxious patients will appreciate intravenous conscious sedation or IV dental sedation in Ajax, where you can achieve a deeper state of relaxation during treatment. People who receive IV sedation often have little memory of the procedure because the sedative has an amnesiac effect. Also, some people feel so deeply relaxed they may actually fall asleep but can still be easily awakened and are responsive to questions during treatment. IV sedation can be extremely useful for people who may need lengthier or more complex appointments to help restore dental health.
You don’t need to let dental anxiety steal your smile as we are here to help you.
