Gentle Dental: Tips for Pain-Free Dentist Visits

Anxious about your next dental appointment? Don’t be. Dentistry has come a long way to ensure that the patient remains as comfortable as possible. Television sets mounted on the ceilings during dental procedures, comfortable dental chairs, sunglasses to block strong light from getting into the patient’s eyes are all measures employed to enhance the patient’s dental experience. However, despite all these efforts, anxiety and fear is still common among a majority of people. In fact, thousands of people neglect their oral hygiene due to fear of the dentist. This phenomenon has become self-defeating. A minor dental problem that requires just a minor procedure can develop and become a bigger problem requiring more complicated procedures due to negligence and avoidance to visit the dentist. If you are among the thousands of people who have been avoiding dental visits due to fear and anxiety, schedule an appointment with your dentist and discuss pain-free dental treatment.

Dental phobia can be solved by using sedation dentistry. Sedation dentistry involves using medication that provides the patient with anxiety free and relaxing experience while undergoing dental treatment. There are different methods of sedation dentistry available to achieve different degrees of sedation. The method to be used depends on the patient’s preference and the type of procedure to be undertaken.

Often called comfortable dentistry, relaxation dentistry or sleep dentistry, sedation dentistry is a safe and effective way to ensure that patients feel comfortable and relaxed while undergoing dental procedures. If you suffer from a high degree of dental fear or anxiety, then you are going to benefit from sedation dentistry greatly. Typically, if any of the following conditions apply to you, then expect sedation dentistry to come in handy during your next dental appointment:

• If you have severe gag reflux during dental procedures
• If you have a high degree of dental anxiety
• If you have any physical constraints such as back or neck problems
• If you require extensive treatments that will require a number of dental visits
• If you need to complete your dental work in fewer visits
• If you want to avoid any discomfort and you want your dentist to work on you when you are relaxed and comfortable

Your dentist can administer sedation using several different methods depending on the level of relaxation required and your overall health. Here is a look at different types of dental sedation:

Oral Sedation

This involves taking a pill or some form of liquid prior to undertaking the dental procedure. These sedatives, also commonly referred to as sleeping pills allow the patient to become too relaxed to appoint where he or she is almost not aware of the treatment being provided. Oral medication is a stronger level of sedation,and the patient will require a friend or family member to drive them to and from the dentist office. This is because the sedation might take some time to wear off after the treatment. Oral sedation is best for dental procedures that are more invasive and takes longer to complete. It is also ideal for patients who would rather not be aware of what is happening during the procedure.

Inhalation Sedation

Inhalation sedation is one of the most used sedation methods. The dentist uses nitrous oxide (often referred to as the laughing gas) and oxygen for painless dentistry. Nitrous oxide can be used on simple dental procedures as well as complicated ones such as wisdom teeth removal. Once a patient inhales it, he or she will feel a feeling of sensations such as a feeling of well-being, floating or extreme sleepiness. The gas allows you to stay conscious and relaxed.

Inhalation sedation works very rapidly. It travels all the way to the brain in less than 20 seconds and induces painkilling properties and relaxation in less than three minutes. The dentist can be able to alter the depth of sedation from moment to moment by either increasingor reducing the level of sedation. The best part of this type of sedation is that it can be eliminated from the body within three to five minutes once the gas is stopped. This means that the patient can be able to drive home after treatment without necessarily requiring any escort comfortably.

Intravenous IV Sedation

This type of sedation is mostly used for more complicated dental procedures such as wisdom teeth removal. Intravenous IV is administered in the dentist office before commencing with the dental work. This type of sedation makes the patient so much relaxed that they will be unconcerned about what is happening around them but they will still be conscious. Intravenous IV is the most effective method of acquiring sedation in almost all patients.

Local Anaesthesia
Anaesthesia is the application of drugs either by injection or inhalation to artificially induce relaxation to a patient. It creates insensitivity to pain during dental procedures. The dentist uses local anaesthesia to numb a specific region of the teeth or gums to prevent the patient from feeling any pain during dental surgical procedures. There are two different types of local anaesthesia which include topical and injectable.

Topical anaesthesia is used to numb the surface of the gums. This type of anaesthesia is applied using a swab, adhesive patch or spray and is always done before the injectable type. Topical anaesthesia is used to kill the feeling of a prick while administering injectable anaesthesia. On the other hand, injectable anaesthesia is used to completely stop the pain in the region of the mouth where the dentist is to conduct dental work. It blocks nerve endings and numbs the area where dental work is to be done.

Don’t allow experiences from your childhood dictate what you feel about visiting the dentist. With the advanced technology today, most dental procedures are less painful, safe and non-invasive. Most dental procedures are now done under anaesthesia,and the advancement of technology has drastically improved the patient’s comfort. Here are some of the advanced technology in dentistry that helps in enhancing patient’s safety and comfort.

Digital X-Rays
While x-rays have for long remained a very important diagnostic tool in dentistry, many patients have long had a fear of exposure to radiation. However, digital x-rays help the patient use very insignificant amount of radiation. They produce just a fraction of radiation of what you are exposed to from other traditional imaging procedures. This helps in easing anxious minds. Digital x-rays are faster and give more accurate results compared to the traditional x-rays.

Moreover, there are quite a number of measures that a dentist can take to limit your exposure to x-rays radiation as much as possible to make you comfortable. First, a dentist can choose to take only a single image of the x-rays rather than taking multiple of them. You can also speak to your dentist to use the lowest possible settings in the radiography device. This is particularly mostly done on children and pregnant women. Your dentist can also use some lead covering to limit exposure from the radiation to other parts of your body.

Intra-Oral Cameras
In addition to digital x-rays, your dentist can also use Intra-oral cameras. Unlike with traditional dental mirrors, intra-oral cameras help the dentist to diagnose more dental problems.This means that those patients that fear to have some metal instruments inserted into their mouth have one less thing to be afraid of while visiting the dentist during their dental visits.

Just as you would select a personal trainer or a hair stylist that truly understands your needs, you should do the same when it comes to your dentist. Find a dentist who is capable of understanding your needs, listens to you and sympathises with you. Recognising the fact dental fear and anxiety is now a real problem that deters people from practising proper oral hygiene, more dentists are now trained on how to handle patient communication and dental anxiety. Visit the internet and search for a dentist who offers sedation services and local anaesthesia. Make an appointment to discuss your concerns with them and let them explain how they will manage your pain.

You can also get a good dentist from recommendations by your friends and family members. Let them know about your concerns with dental fears,and they will recommend a dentist they previously had a good experience with.

Communication between the dentist and the patient is very instrumental when it comes to easing the dental fear. Visit your dentist before having your dental procedure and talk to him or her about your fears and concerns about the pain. There often some painless methods your dentist can use, or prescribe some medication to help you deal with any potential pain and anxiety. Also, discuss with your dentist about some of the signals you can use during the procedure to indicate that the pain is becoming unbearable. Some signals involve raising your hand or any other that you will discuss with your dentist.

Be sure to let your dentist know if you had self-medicated yourself for dental pain before the procedure. Self-medicating for pain is not recommended as patients risk more complications during the dental procedures by using non-recommended painkillers and alcohol before dental visits. You will realise that you will feel more comfortable and less anxious by communicating with your dentist before undertaking dental procedures.

The overwhelming fear of dental appointments is one of the main cause of dental anxiety. Most people visualise a dentist as just a drill-wielding man in a coat waiting to extract teeth and cause pain. However, the reality is very different. A patient’s comfort, relaxation and happiness are all rooted at the heart of any qualified dental practice. A good dental practice will do whatever it takes to reduce anxiety, allay fears and offer quick, painless procedures. With recent technological advancements, dentists are able to replace the noisy drills other better methods. Also, various safe anesthetics can be used to eliminate pain and mitigate anxiety during regular appointments as discussed above. Here are some of the common dental fears and anxieties and tips on how to deal with them

Fear of needles

Fear of needles is not only restricted to dental patients. Almost one in every five individuals are afraid of needles when visiting a medical practitioner. Ensure you acknowledge your dental fears and anxieties to your dentist before an appointment. Dentists are quite familiar with these fears and have many ways of dealing with them. Also, it may be reassuring to know that your dentist uses effective numbing gels before a dental procedure. This means that you will not feel a thing during the treatment. Numbing gels have helped many patients overcome their dental fears of injections. Enquire if your dentist can give you painless injections or use numbing gel before giving you any injections.

Embarrassment about your oral health

You may have taken so long before visiting a dentist for a cleaning,and you are embarrassed about the compromised stated of your mouth. However, dentist has seen it all. Therefore, this won’t concern them as much, so it shouldn’t concern you as much either.

The drill

Some patients tend to fear the pain from a drill; this fear can be caused by the sound produced by a drill. However, people are always numbed before using a drill. A patient experiences no pain at all when the gums are sufficiently numbed. The patient will only feel some light pressure and vibration. If it the sound that bothers you, you may wear some earphones and listen to your favourite music. This will distract and help you calm down

Past bad experience

This is one of the common complaints of anxious patients. Sometimes an experience from an appointment can leave someone feeling uneasy, unsettled or even repulsed. This may occur if the dental office over-charged you, the dentist was insensitive, the assistant was annoying,or the hygienist was not through with his work. It’s unfortunate that such experiences sometimes occur. However, this should not prejudice you against future dental visits either. It is always good to share with your dentist about your past experiences; this will help them understand you more.

Pain

In instances when a patient had a bad experience with dental pain before, it is obvious that he will be afraid of repeated experience. However, many factors contribute to dental pain. Numbing gels and anesthetics are widely available for many of these treatments.

Sedation fears

Sedation fears fall into two categories. Some patients have a fear of being too awake and aware of the pain. They fear that their gums and teeth will not be sufficiently numbed and they will end up feeling pain. On the other hand, there are others who fear being numbed as they will be out of control. This leads to fears of being suffocated, choked or inability to swallow. It is essential to note that for top teeth, only a single tooth is numbed. While, for the bottom teeth, sometimes your cheek or tongue may feel as they are swollen when numbed, but they are not. In such cases, your cheek or tongue loses sensation but not functionality

Many people tend to think that their teeth will always be there. Maintaining and having healthy gums and teeth need a lot of effort than just brushing them once a day. Strong and healthy teeth should never be taken for granted, this is especially true when one gets older. Proper dental care is essential throughout the human life cycle; it does not matter how old or young one is. Here are some tips that should bring a bright and beautiful smile on your face:

Flossing

Flossing at least once a day helps to remove plaque and food remains that your toothbrush cannot reach. According to Australian Dental Association, it does not matter whether you floss at night, in the morning, or after lunch. Just do it!

Brushing twice a day

Using fluoridated toothpaste, gently brush your teeth making sure to touch on all the surfaces and along the gum line with a soft-bristled toothbrush. Always brush your teeth after breakfast and at night before going to bed. Children under eight years old need supervision while brushing and should have their teeth cleaned at least once a day. Ensure that your child uses the children’s toothpaste since the adult’s toothpaste tend to have stronger taste and foam which your child may not like.

Quit smoking

This is another reason for smokers to quit smoking. Smoking is strongly linked with the onset of gum disease. It weakens the immune system and makes it harder to fight off a gum infection. Also, smoking makes it more difficult for the gums to heal once they have been infected.

Healthy diet

The drinks and foods that you consume are important for healthy gums and teeth. Keep off starchy foods that tend to stick on the grooves and fissures in your molars and keep the sugars to a minimum. Eat foods that are rich in calcium such as dairy products, kale, sardines and plenty of fruits and vegetables.

Limit the snacks

Regular eating of snacks, especially the sugary or acidic snacks puts your teeth at a higher risk of decaying and wear. Always check your snacks carefully, because many snacks that seem healthy may be full of sugar. Soft drinks usually contain high amounts of sugars and acids. Such drinks also increase the risk of diseases like diabetes.

Use a therapeutic mouthwash

According to Australian Dental Association, therapeutic mouthwash help in reducing plaque build-up, prevent gingivitis and reduce the speed at which tartar develops. Plus, mouthwash helps in removing food remains in your mouth. However, it is not a substitute for brushing or flossing. Always look for the ADA seal, which means that the product is deemed effective and safe.

Visit your dentist regularly

Gum disease symptoms can be detected early by your dentist if you visit the dental clinic regularly. This will allow your dentist to treat it before it becomes severe.Professional teeth cleaning is the only way to get rid of tartar, it also cleans out the plaque that has been missed when flossing or brushing. If you are suffering from gingivitis, flossing, brushing and regular dental cleanings may help in reversing it.

Taking care of your teeth and gums as well as your overall health is important for your well-being. Don’t allow anxiety of visiting the dentist deter you from having a brilliant smile. Contact your dentist and find out more about gentle dental and you will be able to visit him without having any more concerns.

Even if you’ve already taken too long before visiting the dentist, don’t shy away from making a point. It’s never too late. In fact, your dentist will be happy that you finally took a step in the right direction.