Feelings of dental anxiety in Whitby can affect anyone of any age and can be due to various reasons. These include fear of needles or anesthetics, a low pain threshold or strong gag reflex, fear of pain or discomfort, feeling embarrassed if you haven’t been to a dentist for a while, and anxiety about being helpless in the dental chair. These feelings can manifest as nervousness or anxiety while waiting to see a dentist. Some people have trouble sleeping the night before a dental appointment or are so fearful that even booking an appointment is very stressful. Even when someone knows these feelings are irrational, they can be difficult to control.
However, if you suffer from dental anxiety in Oshawa, Margolian Dentistry is here to help you conquer these feelings. Our dental office is designed to be a warm and welcoming environment. We do everything possible to help you feel comfortable right from the moment you walk through our doors.
Good Communication is Key
Our friendly, compassionate dental team fully believes in open and honest communication, working to build dentist-patient relationships that focus on trust and mutual respect. We never judge or dismiss patients’ feelings. Instead, we prefer to talk with the person to understand them better and work out how to provide treatment in a comfortable and stress-free way.
First, let us know how you feel and be open and honest about your anxieties so we can help you manage them. When you contact our dental office, please talk to our dental team so we can arrange a suitable time to discuss your feelings and anxieties further. There are many ways we can help manage dental anxiety and numerous coping strategies that can be used. Above all, we know seeing a dentist shouldn’t feel stressful or upsetting and should never feel painful.
Coping Strategies for Dental Anxiety
Some people find that breathing exercises or listening to music are enough to help them feel calmer before a dental appointment. If fear, pain or discomfort is a problem, we can discuss how we will avoid this issue. You can rest assured that our dentist will not begin any treatment before numbing the area. Topical numbing gel applied to the gums helps ensure that any dental injections needed are more comfortable. Our dentists are very experienced in administering local anesthetic as painlessly as possible, so you should feel no more than a little pinch. When someone fears a lack of control in the dental chair, we can help manage this concern easily. A prearranged signal, like raising your hand, allows you to stop treatment immediately so you can take a break whenever you need to, and we will check on you regularly to ensure you feel comfortable for us to continue. Alternatively, sedation dentistry in Ajax may help.
Sedation Dentistry
Sedation dentistry uses dental sedatives to induce calmness and relaxation, and the sedation level can be tailored to meet your needs. It can be a useful strategy for anyone with mild, moderate or more extensive dental fears or anxieties. Sedation dentistry can help someone with a strong gag reflex feel more comfortable. It can be especially useful for anyone requiring lengthier dental treatment or more complex dental procedures like dental implants. Mild sedation is available as Nitrous oxide or laughing gas. Oral sedation is given in pill form shortly before treatment begins, providing a slightly deeper level of sedation. Intravenous sedation is perfect for anyone with extensive dental fears, helping people to relax so they may even fall asleep during treatment. Sedation dentistry is very safe; we monitor you continuously to ensure you are okay.