Feeling nervous about a dental visit can make it harder to schedule care. If you have been putting off seeing your Georgetown dentist, tell us what worries you. Our team can discuss your concerns and help you plan your visit.
Practical Ways to Ease Dental Anxiety
The American Dental Association’s guidance on dental anxiety recommends talking openly with your dental team and trying simple coping strategies. Before and during your appointment, you can:
- Tell the team about your worries and any difficult dental experiences.
- Ask what to expect and agree on a hand signal when you need a break.
- Discuss pain or discomfort with your dentist rather than trying to endure it.
- Bring headphones if listening to music helps you feel more comfortable.
- Try slow breathing during breaks to ease tension.
These steps may help you feel more prepared. If fear is keeping you from getting dental care, let us know so we can discuss an approach suited to your needs.
What Causes Dental Phobia?
The common cause of most cases of extreme dental anxiety tends to be rooted in some sort of traumatic experience someone had in the past with their dentist. Experiences like that can include things like complications with treatments or uncomfortable procedures. No one wants or deserves that at the dentist! Sometimes you choose a dentist who’s just not the right fit for you, and that turns you off to keeping up with your oral health. Other times, you hear about something from someone and that indirect experience can turn you off to taking care of your teeth.
There are a number of reasons why this could be happening to you or someone in your family, and the good news is that our Georgetown dental office is going to change everything for you and help with dental anxiety management.
Soothing, Safe Sedation Dentistry
Dr. Derek Winegar and the entire team at Trade Winds Dental knows that each and every patient manages stress and fear differently, which is why we offer different options for sedation during your visit. This is how you create a new dental experience, free from worry, pain, anxiety, or that nagging fear. Let’s get you feeling comfortable about seeing the dentist again, with a visit that feels more like you’re with friends and family. We offer all of our patients in Georgetown oral conscious sedation or inhalation sedation, which are both safe and effective options that will help you deal with your stresses and anxieties while you are in the dental chair!
Oral Conscious Sedation
Oral medications are a highly effective way ofv dental anxiety management. We offer patients this option for a quick and easy way to ensure you’re feeling relaxed, but awake during your procedure. We will make sure that any medication you are given you are not allergic to and will give you the desired results of being calm and relaxed during your procedure.
Inhalation Sedation
Commonly referred to as laughing gas, nitrous oxide and oxygen inhalation is safe, effective, and proven to help nervous or frightened patients feel at ease. It’s not intended to put you to sleep, you’ll be able to ask questions and be alert but feel tranquil. With this sedation option, we can assure you that you will be relaxed with no lasting effects after your procedure!
If you or someone you care about is experiencing dental fear or is afraid of needles, talk to us. Are you worried about getting numb, so you’re hesitant to make the call? Let’s talk about how sedation dentistry works and can make any appointment less stressful.