Finding the best dentist for anxiety can make your trip to the dentist significantly less stressful. Many people experience dental anxiety. An estimated 15% of adults, however, experience dental anxiety so severe, they do not get the dental care they need.
Regular dentist visits are essential for maintaining a healthy smile. When you feel paralyzed by dental anxiety, oral problems become worse, requiring even more work when you finally do go. Finding a specialist dentist for nervous patients with whom you feel supported and at least moderately comfortable provides a way for you to get regular dental care despite your dental anxiety.
When you find the best dentist for anxiety in your area, they will help you remain calm before, during, and after your appointment. At Dean Dental Solutions, we provide some of the best sedation dentistry in North Little Rock. Our dentists have a variety of tricks for helping patients with dental anxiety so you have the confidence to keep up with your oral health.
Discover the signs of dental anxiety, tricks you and your dentist can use to maintain your oral health with minimal anxiety, and how sedation dentistry in North Little Rock can keep you calm and comfortable during your next dental appointment.
Signs of Dental Anxiety
Most people are not exactly excited to see the dentist, but there is a definite difference between being a little nervous and having full-blown dental anxiety.
You might have dental anxiety if you:
- Have difficulty sleeping the night(s) before a dental appointment
- Avoid making appointments even when in pain
- Dread making and going to appointments
- Notice the smells, sights, and sounds at the dentist always increase your anxiety
- Experience increased anxiety just from sitting in the waiting room
- Become physically ill thinking about a dental appointment
- Panic or have difficulty breathing during a dental appointment
How the Best Dentist for Anxiety Can Help You Stay Calm
If you have dental anxiety, finding the right dentist is essential for keeping your teeth and gums healthy. Not all dentists are specialists for nervous patients. Look for a dentist who has experience with dental anxiety. They have a better understanding of what contributes to this particular anxiety and know what helps make patients more relaxed and calmer.
A specialist dentist for nervous patients may include several techniques to make dental visits less alarming for patients.
Calming Sounds
Playing gentle, soothing background music is one of the best ways to help patients stay calm. Dentists’ waiting rooms will use soft music to soothe your nerves before your appointment, and dentists often play music in their exam rooms as well.
The benefits of music therapy include reducing stress, lowering blood pressure, and decreasing heart rate. When you experience any kind of anxiety, these things skyrocket. Keeping them low is one important key to calmness, and music can have an incredible influence on what you are feeling.
White noise, in particular the sound of flowing water, is also soothing. Running water reduces stress, heart rate, and blood pressure. As you listen to it, the EEG signals in your brain become less complex. Some dental offices take advantage of these benefits with fountains, aquariums, or noisy water coolers!
Colored Glasses
To see the back of your mouth, dentists use extremely powerful lights. Unless you enjoy staring directly into the sun, these lights will irritate your eyes and prevent relaxation.
Your oral health and your comfort are Dean Dental Solutions’ top priorities. As one of the best dentists in NLR for anxiety, Dean Dental Solutions ensures you have dark glasses to wear during appointments. These keep you comfortable by blocking the glare from the lights. The dark glasses also prevent fluids and other things from getting in your eyes during your appointment.
Distractions
Have you noticed televisions dotting the walls of waiting rooms in your dental office? They are not just intended to keep you from getting bored. Televisions, magazines, and interesting artwork all serve as distractions before your dentist appointment. They make the wait seem shorter and keep your mind busy, letting you avoid overthinking and worrying about your appointment.
Bringing your own distraction is also helpful, especially if you have an active imagination. Watch your favorite TV shows on your phone, read a book or magazine, or do a crossword puzzle. Keeping your brain active prevents your imagination from creating overwhelming situations.
Breathing Exercises
Use deep breathing exercises to keep your anxiety levels down. You might be inclined to hold your breath with a stranger that closes but remember to breathe evenly. Inhale deeply, hold your breath for a few seconds, then exhale smoothly. If it helps, make your exhales for the same length of time as your inhales. Concentrate on relaxing your body from the top down. Intentionally release any tight muscles, and focus on your breath.
Communicating
Knowing exactly what your dentist is doing helps keep your mind busy during your appointment and removes the unknown. Your dentist can talk you through each step of a procedure. They will explain what they are doing, why they need to do it, and what it will feel like for you. They can also warn you if something will feel cold or make strange sounds. Hearing about the process can make you feel more comfortable and in control throughout the appointment.
Ask About Pain Control
If you experience any pain during your appointment, tell your dentist! You are not interrupting when you are stating discomfort. If you are worried about feeling pain during your dental appointment, be honest with your dentist! They have numerous pain management options.
Make A Stop Signal
The fear of dental pain is often scarier than the pain itself. Establish a “stop signal” with your dentist. This way, if you feel any pain, you can signal your dentist to stop working. They can give you a break, increase numbing medication, or institute other forms of pain management. Knowing that you have control over any discomfort is often extremely helpful for dental anxiety.
Sedation Dentistry
For some people, all the calming influences in the world are not sufficient to make seeing a dentist worth having good oral health. If this is the case, the best dentists for anxiety may suggest sedation dentistry.
During sedation dentistry, your dentist uses medication to sedate you for the duration of your appointment. Sedation can be provided orally, through an IV, or an injection. It can be used for any procedure, from teeth cleaning to root canals.
If you struggle with severe dental anxiety, Dean Dental Solutions will manage your dental concerns while you remain blissfully and safely unaware of the procedures.
Find the Best Dentist for Anxiety
Whether you are due for a routine dental check-up or need to have a tooth removed, finding the best sedation dentistry in North Little Rock is the best way to manage dental anxiety. Knowing what works best for you is the best way to get through any appointment.
At Dean Dental Solutions, we offer gentle, understanding dental care. Dental anxiety does not have to stop you from loving your smile! Contact us today to request an appointment.
Leave a Reply