Do you feel anxious to visit the dentist?

Dental phobia is quite common among individuals of all ages. Many patients tend to get too nervous when they have a dental appointment, which could adversely affect their treatment. Though many of them know that the fear is irrational, there is very little they can do to calm themselves. Some even try to avoid the consultation with all possible excuses, which goes to show that dental phobia has to be dealt with with extreme care to make sure the patient feels comfortable and safe during the procedures.

Why does one feel anxious?

Patients may feel anxious during a dental consultation due to the following reasons:

Fear of pain: The fear of pain expected during a dental consultation is one of the main reasons to feel nervous during a dental consultation. It may be a result of an unpleasant dental visit in the past or the 'dental horror' stories told by others. However, the advancements in dentistry have allowed the procedures to be less painful or even pain-free in recent years.

Fear of injections: It is a common fear among individuals, and in some instances, it can be quite severe. This fear can be intensified when the needle is placed in the mouth. But, we only use injections when we have to administer anesthesia, which wouldn't be required for some of the standard procedures like dental cleaning, teeth whitening, fillings, routine consultations, and exams, etc.

Fear of anesthesia: Some patients may have a fear of numbness that is caused due to administering dental anesthesia. They may fear the common 'fat lip' symptom of anesthesia or even the feeling of dizziness induced by sedation.

How can dental phobia be countered?

We use mild sedation in the form of nitrous oxide to calm the patients' nerves during a dental consultation. Nitrous oxide is also known by its common name, 'laughing gas', which is a non-invasive and mild sedative used to induce a feeling of calmness in the patient. The dentist will suggest a suitable dosage of laughing gas if they conclude you require sedation to stay calm and composed in the dental chair. You can inhale it through a comfortably fitting mask, and the drug would take effect in a few minutes. Even the most ordinary things would seem to appear funnier, and a feeling of calmness would take over. The effect of laughing gas would last for a few minutes based on the dosage, and it would wear off by itself without the need for a recovering agent. There are no known adverse effects of the drug, making it safe for use on individuals of all ages.

Schedule an online appointment or call our dental practice to have a consultation with our dentist at El Paseo Dental, and we'll guide you further.