For some patients, the dentist’s office can be a source of anxiety. However, this anxiety can lead to delaying or avoiding dental treatment to avoid the experience. Unfortunately, by missing your dental appointments, you may be foregoing the health of your teeth; early-stage dental issues cannot be detected, and interventions cannot take place, leading to the kickoff of a dysfunctional cycle of increasing dental pain, worsening anxiety, and more frequent and complex dental procedures. If this sounds familiar, know that you are not alone and there are steps you can take to maintain your dental health and manage your anxiety about visiting the dentist.
Continue reading to learn more.
Prevention is Key
One of the best ways to avoid more complex dental issues and procedures is to keep up with your regular dental appointments, which has the double benefit of preventing problems in addition to the maintenance of your general oral health. This is especially true if you are susceptible to certain oral health issues. As an example, those with type 2 diabetes have an increased likelihood of developing periodontitis, which could result in tooth damage and loss.
Managing Pain and Anxiety
Many patients with anxiety about visiting the dentist are actually afraid of the possible pain they may experience during their appointments. Luckily, there are several ways to manage pain during and after your dental treatment. Sedation dentistry at Porter Dental Health Clinic is offered to patients who may need help relaxing during their appointments. During your appointment, laughing gas, which is a safe and effective solution, is administered as a gas that is inhaled through the nose; it can even be provided to you as you wait for your appointment to begin so that you are calm and ready for treatment. The effects of laughing gas wear off after your appointment, making it safe for you to drive back home.
Find the Right Provider
At Porter Dental Health Clinic, our patients’ well-being and comfort is at the forefront of our practice philosophy. We are committed to cultivating a relaxing, stress-free atmosphere so that the patient can more easily associate visits to the dentist with a positive experience. This is why we offer sedation dentistry to help ease our patients’ concerns. Stressing about going to the dentist is common, but our team is here to help. To schedule an appointment and learn more about sedation dentistry services, call us today.
