Take the Fear Out of Going to the Dentist
When you think about going to the dentist, do your palms sweat? Do you have trouble sleeping the night before your appointment? Do you feel your nervousness rise when sitting in the dentist's waiting room? If you said yes to any of these scenarios, you are not alone.
It's estimated that 9% to 15% of Americans experience dental anxiety and fear so strong that they avoid seeing the dentist, in some cases for decades. This is unfortunate, because people who avoid going to the dentist are oftentimes the ones most in need of dental care.
We can probably all relate to some of the causes. Fear of pain, embarrassment, loss of control, and bad past experiences are a just a few of the reasons why people skip checkups. Although we would all rather be at the beach, there are ways to take the fear out of going to the dentist.
Choose the right dentist. This is probably the biggest factor in whether your dental experience is a good or bad one. The right dentist is one who is sensitive to your fears and responsive to your questions. And, you should feel free to discuss any doubts or worries about your treatment plan with your dentist. Once your dentist understands your fears or concerns, together you can craft a workable plan to make your dentistry as pain- and anxiety-free as possible. Click here for a more detailed picture of My Chair-Side Manner.
Hand signals. Verbal communication with a mouthful of instruments can be challenging to say the least. That's why it's best to agree on a hand signal for your dentist to halt the treatment for a moment if you feel yourself becoming anxious. Any dentist worth going to will be open to this kind of in-chair treatment.
Know what's going on. Anxiety can be caused by not knowing what happens next. Ask your dentist to explain the next step of each phase of your dental procedures. Good dentists should tell you what to expect in each step in the process.
Don't schedule appointments on days of stressful events. Don't schedule a root canal on the day of a big job interview or a presentation in front of the company president. Better to schedule your dental appointment the day before or the day after, when you're stress level is lower.
My Chair-Side Manner
To sum up, dentistry should not be a painful, anxiety-provoking experience. ((Learn more about sedation dentistry and pain & anxiety control.) When patients come to my office, they can be assured that they will be treated with patience, trust, and sincerity. My goals are to provide dental care in as pain-free manner as possible and to work with you to create a personalized dental experience.
If you have any other questions or comments regarding this article, please contact us at (310) 553-2940 or by email at periodontics@earthlink.net.
Dr. Miles Madison, D.D.S., is an award-winning periodontist in Beverly Hills, California.
