Dental care experts suggest that most of the oral care procedures are not painful. But unfortunately, some people feel stressed even while going for something as simple as a routine dental check-up. Stress can be handled easily, however, dental anxiety can prove to be a more severe condition.
What Exactly Is A Dental Anxiety?
Individuals who have dental anxiety show unreasonable and intense fear while visiting their dentist’s office. Sitting in the dentist’s chair can be an incredibly terrifying experience for them. Affected persons would go to any extent to avoid an appointment with their dentist. They don’t mind living with unsightly, broken teeth and often use a pain medication to deal with gum infection pain.
Statistics suggest that this anxiety is a universal phenomenon. University of Washington researcher Peter Milgrom believes that as much as 20 percent of the American population feels anxious while visiting the dental clinic. Studies indicate that such patients suffer from gum diseases as they avoid proper preventative care. The same sets of individuals are often found to be suffering from diabetes, heart diseases, and other serious illness. To put it in simple words, dental anxiety can reduce a person’s life expectancy due to overall poor health.
Case studies point out that individuals finally gather the courage to control their fear only when the physician treating them for their health conditions advises them to see their dentist to take care of their oral health. But sometimes, it can prove to be too late.
Signs Of Dental Anxiety
Feelings of nervousness, physical illness, nausea, and difficulty in breathing while undergoing the dental procedure, are some of the common symptoms. In some cases, the patient starts crying as well. Psychiatric consultation might prove to be necessary, especially, if the patient seems too much terrified or panic-stricken while at the dental office.
Motivation from friends and relatives, friendly dentists, and persuasion from a mother or spouse can help in dealing with anxiety up to a certain extent.
What Are The Causes Of This Medical Condition?
Thanks to advanced dentistry, even complicated dental procedures have become less painful. But the fear of pain remains to be the most prominent reason behind the anxiety. Some patients are OK with dental procedures, but they feel anxious about anesthesia. The feeling of helplessness while sitting in the dental chair and inability to see the procedure also triggers nervousness in some individuals. Even people suffering from posttraumatic stress, substance abuse, and mood disorder can have dental anxiety.
Ways To Deal With The Medical Condition
To start it early, parents should at least take their kids to the dental clinic for an annual check-up. Psychologists have recommended a few simple steps that can help patients deal with their fear. Sharing the concerns and fear with the dentist can prove to be helpful at times. Some dentists, like those at TruCare Dental Care, are trained to handle such cases with the right approach and treatment.
As mentioned earlier, while visiting the dentist’s office for the first time, the patient must be accompanied by someone who does not fear dentists.
Keep The Patient Distracted
Let the patient listen to music even while at the dental office reception area. Ask the dentist to keep the TV set on in the treatment room to distract the concerned person from thinking about the fear.
Several studies and surveys point out how most people have found the wisdom tooth extraction and root canal procedures to be lesser painful than anticipated. Patients experiencing fear before undergoing treatment should be asked to read details about such studies for motivation.
Oral Sedatives
Another option for patients who have dental anxiety is to get treated by dentists who are experienced and qualified, like those at Roswell Dentists, in oral sedation. At TruCare Dentistry we provide alternatives such as Oral medication to relieve anxiety, laughing gas ( Nitrous oxide), and local anesthetic.
TruCare Dentistry Roswell GA is dedicated to providing the best dental care to their patients. For more information to eliminate your dental anxiety book your appointment.