There are many ways to help people manage dental anxiety or phobia. It is important to let the dentist know if you experience any level of dental anxiety. Open discussion around the individual triggers of anxiety can help the dentist work with you to tailor a management plan for you.

Referral to a psychologist can be helpful too. Short, targeted therapies including cognitive behavioural therapy can be very successful. Severe dental anxiety or phobia may require medical management with relative analgesia happy gas , anxiety relieving medication, conscious sedation twilight sedation or general anaesthesia.

Known as happy gas or laughing gas, nitrous oxide can help people relax during dental treatment. A mask is fitted to your face, and you breathe a mixture of oxygen and nitrous oxide.

It takes effect within a few minutes and wears off quickly. You will feel relaxed but will still be awake. For most people, the relaxed sensation created by nitrous oxide sedation is very pleasant.

Oral anxiety relieving anxiolytic medications such as temazepam are sometimes prescribed by dentists or doctors to help anxious patients relax. A short-acting, small, single dose is usually taken one hour before the dental appointment.

Medication should only be taken following discussion with your dentist or doctor. You will need someone to accompany you to and from the dental visit as you cannot safely drive a car while under the influence of a sedative medication. This type of sedation involves receiving medication through a drip placed into a vein of the arm or hand.

Intravenous IV sedation is provided by a dental sedationist a dentist with advanced training in sedation or an anaesthetist. It can be undertaken at a dental practice that has additional equipment, or in a hospital.

Under IV sedation sometimes known as twilight sedation , you are relaxed and may drift off into a light sleep, but can respond to verbal prompts.

Possible side effects include drowsiness and nausea after the procedure. You should not drive yourself home after IV sedation. Not all dentists offer treatment under sedation.

Some pre-existing medical conditions or medications may affect the type of sedation you can have, or may prevent you from having IV sedation. Talk to your dentist for further information. Treatment under a general anaesthetic is carried out in a hospital setting by the dentist and an anaesthetist.

Some possible side effects include nausea and a longer recovery time than other forms of sedation. You will need a pre-operative before treatment visit to the dentist, and a post-operative after treatment visit may also be required.

The anaesthetist will also need to assess you before the general anaesthetic. You cannot drive yourself home after a general anaesthetic. Some dental treatments are better provided over several visits.

Since dentists are health care professionals, they are trained to help patients who experience anxiety. They can offer safe, comfortable techniques to make the experience less stressful and painful, such as using medication.

Sedation dentistry uses medication to relax patients while easing pain and discomfort. Common types of sedation dentistry include nitrous oxide known as laughing gas , an oral sedative, or intravenous conscious sedation. If you are overwhelmed by fear when visiting the dentist, or you avoid your dentist altogether, consider speaking with your dentist about your options.

You and your dentist can come up with a plan to make your appointment comfortable, pain-free, and anxiety-free. Dealing with Dental Anxiety. June 13, In Healthy Dentistry , Oral Health By Nabil Achache.

DO YOU HAVE A DENTAL PHOBIA? If you fear visiting the dentist, you may have dental anxiety or dental phobia. SYMPTOMS OF DENTAL ANXIETY While symptoms of fear and anxiety might be different for some people, here are a few common symptoms that people experience before and during a dental visit.

Difficulty Sleeping Before an Appointment A common symptom of anxiety is having your thoughts and worries keep you up at night. Intense Feelings of Nervousness Feelings of nervousness before a dental appointment are common for those with dental anxiety—especially if these feelings escalate leading up to the appointment, in the waiting room, and during the actual appointment.

Some of the most common fears that lead to dental anxiety include: Fear of Embarrassment Many people are embarrassed by the look or condition of their teeth along with having bad breath.

Fear of Pain Fear of pain is one of the leading reasons why people avoid visiting the dentist. Fear of Tools If a person has a fear of needles, then they will likely fear the anesthesia injection at the dentist.

Even the unpleasant whirring and constant poking and scraping can be almost completely ignored. This can be possible if the dentist approaches the dental treatment in the right way. Unfortunately, dental anxiety comes from a bad experience with a dentist in the past.

We believe there is one main reason why so many people have dental fear. Instead of making you feel guilty for your dental phobia , your dentist should motivate you and lift your spirits. A great dentist is someone you can confide in. You can trust them to help you find the best ways to care for unique dental needs and priorities.

An important part of providing dental treatment is ensuring that you are relaxed and reassured at all times. You are also able to take a break when you need it. People with dental fear or dental anxiety feel like they are completely giving up control and personal space.

To help you overcome dental anxiety, your dentist should be great at giving guidance every step of the way. They must be able to give you the kind of emotional support that you need. Additionally, the dentist can help you redirect your attention to small talks and a relaxing ambiance.

Finally, you should be encouraged to communicate.

Most of the dental problems are associated with lifestyle and poor oral hygiene at home or lack of professional hygiene. If the patient does not pay attention to the smaller issue and keep on avoiding the dental visit, it is more likely calls for a more complex procedure in the future.

These are the common symptoms an anxious patient either shows at the dental office or they would simply avoid making appointments because of the symptoms.

The most common fear or anxiety some people face is from needles and drilling. They experience this fear when making an appointment for cleaning, scaling, or any other dental procedure. This fear can turn into phobia if it is not addressed.

Most people fear that they can experience pain or discomfort during the dental procedure. In some cases, the fear of pain and discomfort makes them anxious even for a regular dental checkup or periodontal exam.

However, if this fear turns into a phobia, the patient can generalize the idea of pain to be much worse. It would be better to call it the fear of the unknown.

A negative or bad experience at the dental clinic in childhood can still haunt them in their adult life.

They can still recall the same pain and ca get terrified or triggered, so they avoid visiting a dental clinic. Some people perceive that sitting on the dental chair for a long time will make them helpless. This fear of feeling losing control can be daunting.

They can feel terrified to sit on the dental chair because they assume they have to keep going no matter what and there is no going back. Not only does needle and drills can make patients afraid of visiting a dentist but they can also have anxiety about the feeling of numbness caused by the local anesthesia.

Some patients have the fear and assumption of potential side effects from anesthetics can keep them away from getting any dental treatment. Some patient can feel uncomfortable laying down and having other people around them.

Some patients feel embarrassed to seek professional dental help, since they assume that there is nothing that can be done any more, or they can be judged for their lack of oral care and neglect.

As some of the dental treatments are a bit expensive as compared to any other treatments. People who do not have dental insurance coverage either because they are struggling entrepreneurs or have no job hesitate to visit the dental office.

Procedures like dental implants and braces can cost thousands of dollars which makes them anxious and restrict visiting the dentist. This anxiety keeps them away from making an appointment to see a dentist. Some people have the anxiety of what if someone finds out?

Or their dental information might get shared somehow. Some patients do not feel confident visiting the dental office simply because they cannot trust the dentist. They have doubts about their skills and feel anxious that they would not do or recommend the right treatment.

This could be due to any past negative dental experience of themselves or someone they know might have shared with them. Some people suffer from dental anxiety that can prevent them to visit the dental clinic for professional dental care. We want to make sure that our patients know that their level or type of anxiety is VALID!

At Clean Smiles Dental, we like to empower our patients who are struggling with any dental anxiety or concern regarding their dental treatment and visit with us.

We are here to offer solutions to provide best dental treatment by managing their dental anxiety. Each of these types of anxiety has a possible solution at Clean Smiles Dental Hygiene Clinic.

If we are unable to provide the dental solution; for example, a certain kind of sedation that might be best suited for your need, then we will certainly guide you in right direction. Our main goal is for each patient to be able to get best dental care that they need and deserve.

Here at the Clean smiles dental hygiene clinic, we have compassionate, skilled and experienced dentist and hygienists who can provide the best suited dental treatment by managing your dental anxiety. If you are looking for a clinic in Edmonton, we are here to provide you a free consultation session where you can discuss your fear and anxieties and together, we can with a best suited solution to get you the best dental care you need and deserve.

Book your appointment now at Call: Email: [email protected]. We are a proud member of The Canadian Dental Hygienists Association and the College Of Registered Dental Hygienists Of Alberta. See a mental health professional first to bring your phobia under control, and then search for a dentist that makes you feel comfortable.

Finding a dentist that you fully trust is worth the effort. Wiener RC. Dental Fear and Delayed Dental Care in Appalachia-West Virginia. J Dent Hyg. Yahyaoglu O, Baygin O, Yahyaoglu G, Tuzuner T. Effect of Dentists' Appearance Related with Dental Fear and Caries aStatus in Years Old Children.

J Clin Pediatr Dent. Kılıç C, Ak S, Ak HB. Anxiety sensitivity: another reason to separate dental fears from blood-injury fears?. J Anxiety Disord. Hakim H, Razak IA. Dental fear among medical and dental undergraduates. Griffiths M. Hypnosis for dental anxiety. Dent Update.

Armfield JM, Heaton LJ. Management of fear and anxiety in the dental clinic: a review. Aust Dent J. Mark AM. Coping skills for facing dental fears.

J Am Dent Assoc. Schneider A, Andrade J, Tanja-dijkstra K, Moles DR. Mental imagery in dentistry: Phenomenology and role in dental anxiety. American Psychiatric Association.

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Washington D. By Lisa Fritscher Lisa Fritscher is a freelance writer and editor with a deep interest in phobias and other mental health topics. Use limited data to select advertising.

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