It has been estimated that 9 to 15 percent of the population suffers from dental phobia or anxiety. This fear of the dentist can be so crippling that it prevents these individuals from ever seeing a dentist. Their dental health suffers and can lead to other long-term health issues. It is unfortunate, because there are practices put into place by dentists which can help alleviate these fears and anxieties. If so, you should ask Dr. Jeff Martin, Dr. William Taylor and the team at Martin Taylor Dentistry in Tucson, AZ offer conscious sedation (including nitrous oxide or oral sedatives) that aim to make a trip to the dentist a calm and peaceful experience.
People who avoid the dentist are far more prone to suffering from advanced stages of gum disease and tooth decay. As the years pass and the untreated issues exacerbate, the real pain can become reality as more invasive treatments will be needed. It is a shame, because (in many cases) dental phobia and anxiety is completely avoidable. Let us look at some causes of dental anxiety.
How is sedation dentistry performed in your practice?
Dental fear and anxiety keep millions of people away from the dental office every year. For many, local anesthesia isn’t enough.
At Martin-Taylor Dentistry, Dr. William Taylor and Dr. Jeff Martin pride ourselves in giving as painless injections as possible.
While this numbs the teeth, it does nothing to remove the fear and other factors that keep patients away from their dentists.
At Martin Taylor dentistry, we alleviate these fears by providing safe and effective oral conscious sedation. We will not proceed with treatment until the patient is comfortable and ready.
What is oral conscious sedation?
With Oral conscious sedation, there are no IV needles. We use oral medication (pills) combined with nitrous oxide (laughing gas) to get you to the right level of relaxation.
With our extra training and licensing, we can properly adjust the sedation medication until you are safely sedated to the right level.
The entire process is simple, safe, and comfortable. When you come to the office, and we know you are interested in oral sedation, we’ll take your medical history and check your vitals to make sure you’re a good candidate.
Who is a candidate for oral conscious sedation?
Anyone who has a fear of dentists, a low pain threshold, very sensitive teeth, has a gag reflex that causes problems during treatment, and undergoing bigger treatment or lots of treatment in one or few appointments, is a candidate.
For oral conscious sedation, you will take pills that we prescribe you before coming to the office. A responsible friend or family member will drive you to and from the appointment.
Feel free to give us a call and get to know more about sedation dentistry.
Many individuals fear pain and associate a dental visit with pain and discomfort. This could not be further from reality as routine dental visits are relatively pain free. Regular checkups and cleanings are nothing to fear. But, as with many phobias, fear of the dentist can stem from an irrational place. If you ask some of those who suffer, they will even tell you they know it is not as bad as they fear, but the terror they feel is nonetheless unavoidable. Oral conscious sedation can help greatly with this.
Another reason some suffer from dental phobia is due to a negative experience. A past experience with a dentist that involved discomfort or pain may keep an individual from returning because they believe that is the dental experience.
Some people may avoid the dentist because they are embarrassed of the current state of their oral health. They fear that a dentist will chastise them or view them unfavorably because their oral health is in a state of deterioration. Dentists want to work with you and develop a plan to restore your oral health. They are there to work with you and not make you feel poorly.
No matter the reason you may suffer from dental phobia or anxiety, oral conscious sedation can be used to put you at ease and allow you to relax while at the dentist. If you are in the Tucson, AZ area, call Martin Taylor Dentistry at (520) 600-6925 for an appointment.