A lot of things cause fear.
Some people are afraid of roller coasters, and other people are afraid of small spaces.
Some people are afraid of dogs, and other people are afraid of snakes or spiders. Some people are afraid of clowns.
And we are well aware that some people are afraid of dentists.
At the Davenport Dental Group, we try not to take this personally. We know that dental fear or dental anxiety can develop for a number of reasons.
We also know that it’s possible with time and patience to help our patients learn to manage that anxiety and even overcome it. This is not something that we expect to happen overnight or with a single visit to either of our dentist offices in Laredo, TX.
However, we are confident that we can help if you are ready.
The First Step In Dealing With Dental Anxiety
The first thing we want you to know is that you are not alone. Experts vary on their estimates, but a conservative estimate is that 1 in 5 Americans experiences some level of dental anxiety.
The first step in working on your dental anxiety is finding a dentist office with people you trust. For this reason, we welcome you to visit either our Junction Drive or Winfield offices before you decide if you want to make an appointment.
By stopping in, you can talk to our staff, see the office for yourself, and learn more about our approach to dental care without having to sit in a dentist chair.
This also is a good time to ask about our sedation dentistry. This is something that we use on a regular basis to help patients of all ages who are anxious about dental care.
How Sedation Dentistry Can Help
Dental sedation has been used for more than 150 years, believe it or not.
In that time, dentists have learned a great deal about how to administer sedation dentistry and about the ways sedation can help our patients.
At our offices, we use inhaled sedation with laughing gas. We will explain a little more about that in a moment. For now, let’s consider some specific ways dental sedation can make it easier for you to receive oral care.
◼︎ You won’t feel any pain.
Pain is one of the most common reasons that people fear coming to the dentist. This may be the result of an unfortunate experience with a previous dentist, or it may be because of the way dentists are often portrayed in movies and on television.
The truth is that dentists want to prevent or alleviate pain for their patients, and laughing gas is a great way to do this. In fact, it is this gas’s pain-relieving properties that made led to it becoming a part of dental care in the 1800s.
◼︎ You will feel relaxed.
Anxiety can affect your body in a lot of ways. If you are afraid, you may feel a “fight or flight” sensation, which can increase your heart rate and your stress hormones.
We don’t want that to happen when you are with us. Nitrous oxide — laughing gas — helps by inducing a calm, euphoric state of mind. This will greatly reduce or eliminate the anxious feelings you may have.
◼︎ You may not remember any of your treatment.
For some patients, the sounds of dental equipment or the sight of a dentist or hygienist working on their teeth can be scary. With sedation dentistry, you may not have any memory of those things taking place.
And yet, you will still receive the benefits that come with quality dental care.
◼︎ You will not gag.
Some people have a sensitive gag reflex, which can make it understandably difficult to make a dental appointment. When you are under sedation, you remain so relaxed that you won’t have to worry about gagging at all.
How Inhaled Sedation Works
After you sit down, we place a comfortable nosepiece over your nose. When we turn on the gas, you simply inhale it.
As you breathe it in, you will feel its effects within a matter of minutes. You will remain in this relaxed, calm state as long as you continue breathing the nitrous oxide.
At the conclusion of your care, we will turn off the gas and remove the mask. Through your normal breathing, you will exhale whatever gas remains in your system.
In just a few minutes, you will be feeling like yourself again … only now your teeth will be cleaner!
Take The First Step
Remember, you can visit either Davenport Dental Group location in Laredo, TX, to learn about our approach to dental care. If you want, you can schedule a consultation with our dentists by filling out our online form or by calling 956-242-6745 for Junction Drive or 956-517-2695 for Winfield.
We will be happy to answer any questions you have about sedation dentistry or the other ways we can help you with your dental anxiety.