Overcome Dental Anxiety
Solutions to dental anxiety come in many forms. When left untreated, many dental problems only get worse. We can help empower patients with dental anxiety to take the necessary action to treat their underlying conditions.
Solutions to dental anxiety are available at Gresham Advanced Dentistry in Gresham and the surrounding area. Fear should never get in the way of your health. Call us at (503) 661-2828 to learn more and schedule an appointment today.
Understanding Dental Anxiety
- Escalating feelings of nervousness in a dentist’s waiting room
- Feelings of intense unease at the thought of a dentist placing objects in the mouth during treatment
- Physical reactions at the thought of visiting the dentist
- Trouble sleeping the night before a dental appointment
" People with dental anxiety are aware that their fear is irrational, but have little to no means of managing it."
Causes of Dental Anxiety
Patients of all ages and backgrounds can have dental anxiety. A multitude of factors may contribute to someone's unease at the prospect of being in the dentist's chair, including but not limited to fear of anesthesia, fear of injections, fear of pain, feelings of embarrassment, and feelings of helplessness.
All of the above are valid reasons to be anxious. Still, they do not have to overtake a patient's dental experience. Patients should be open and honest with their dentist about their anxieties, as this is the first step to phobia management. At Gresham Advanced Dentistry, we believe communication is key to a successful dentist-patient relationship.
" Patients should be open and honest with their dentist about their anxieties, as this is the first step to phobia management."
Coping with Dental Anxiety
Dealing with a dismissive dentist may only make the problem worse. Therefore, the first step to managing dental anxiety is finding the right dentist. Patients should also ask office staff about any recommended coping strategies and agree on a signal to let the dentist know if they need to take a break.
Mindfulness techniques can also help. Patients may want to try breathing exercises or doing body scans while in the dentist's chair. Others may benefit from distracting themselves by doing things like wearing headphones or occupying their hands.
Additionally, patients should let the dentist know if they are particularly sensitive to pain, even with local anesthesia. There is no need for patients to feel embarrassed about asking questions or being open about their fear. This is the only way to develop a truly individualized plan to attack one's dental anxiety.
" There is no need for patients to feel embarrassed about asking questions or being open about their fear."
Check out what others are saying about our dental services on Yelp: Dental Anxiety in Gresham, OR
Sedation & Dental Anxiety
- Relative Analgesia. Also known as “laughing gas,” relative analgesia consists of patients receiving a combination of oxygen and nitrous oxide through a mask fitted to their face. This treatment is quick to take effect and also quick to wear off. Patients remain awake but feel relaxed for the procedure.
- Anxiety Medication. Typically, anxiety medication for dental anxiety comes in the form of a pill. It may be prescribed either by a dentist or a doctor. The patient will take a single, short-acting dose about one hour before their dental appointment.
- Conscious Sedation. Conscious sedation is a form of intravenous (IV) sedation administered either by a sedation dentist or an anesthetist. Patients under conscious sedation may drift off into a light sleep, making this known as “twilight sedation.”
- General Anesthesia. General anesthesia is the most intensive form of sedation, administered through a combination of IV medication and inhaled gases. Patients are put fully to sleep and will require pre- and post-operative visits.