Nervous at the dentist?
Being nervous at the dentist is a very common occurrence. Some people have had a previous poor experiences as a child or an adult. Individuals can experience white coat syndrome and are nervous around any medical professionals. Others are nervous of needles or have anxiety over having a cavity diagnosed. Nevertheless being nervous at the dentist is no laughing matter.
Being nervous or having anxiety is an uncomfortable feeling to have. Our bodies can go into fight or flight mode. This is how our bodies can respond to stress. In general ‘fight or flight’ can affect our body by changing our heart rate, cause shaking and dry mouth, dilation of the pupils, hearing loss and more.
We understand as professional practitioners that this is something that some of our patients experience. While we would love to take that feeling away from you, we know that isn’t always possible. We will always do our best to be calm, friendly and understanding of our patients fears. In order to help you through your dental appointments there are several options:
Non- medical interventions: We can offer headphones, TV, blankets, frequent breaks and water. You are always welcome to bring your own music or podcast in on your own device to listen to during the appointment.
Medical Interventions: Nitrous Oxide- Laughing gas can have a calming effect on patients as well as aid in the pain or sensitivity during treatment it can be used for dental procedures, it can also be offered for a fee for dental hygiene visits.
– Some individuals take prescribed medications from their MDs before appointments. Just remember to always let the practitioner know if you have taken any medication before the procedure and a designated driver should be pre-arranged after taking certain medications.
– As a last resort, if you are still unable to complete a dental visit due to severe anxiety or stress you can discuss with the dentist a referral for dentistry under sedation.
Always remember that we are here to help you. We don’t want to hurt you. And we would love to turn your negative experiences into positive experiences in our office. Let us know if you are feeling this way and we will do our best to accommodate you.