Get Over Your Fear of the Dentist - Tips to Improve Your Next Visit

In this post we give some tips on what you can do during a treatment to better cope with dental anxiety.  Commit to overcoming your fear of dentists. It’s time to take action. You can’t achieve anything until you have a plan, and we have a lot of ideas to help you.

Distract Yourself

Modern dentists are well aware of the power of distraction to ease their patients’ feelings of fear during appointments. Use whatever means necessary to keep your mind off of what’s being done in your mouth, such as:

• Count to one thousand by threes.
• Replay a movie in your head.
• Try to remember the speech you memorized for your ninth grade Model United Nations competition.
• Silently recite the alphabet backwards.

Bring a Family Member or Friend With You

Most adults go to dentist appointments alone. However, bringing along a friend or family member who understands your fears can be reassuring. They can help you stay calm during your appointment. Let us know ahead of time and we will make accommodations

Use Noise-Canceling Headphones

Many people’s dental anxiety ratchets up a few notches as soon as they hear the drill. By using noise-canceling headphones, you can block out the machinery sounds in the office, helping you to relax while the dentist does their work. Music can help relax you and allow you to zone out while your teeth are being cleaned. Use your phone or iPod to listen to your favorite tunes while the dentist works.

Ask About Modifications

Not every dental procedure must be the same for each person. Say you have a sensitive gag reflex that makes you dread getting X-rays. Talk to your dentist about your concerns. Perhaps you can get panoramic X-rays instead, which are less likely to make you gag.

Stay Halfway up in the Chair

If you worry about the discomfort or vulnerability of going all the way back in the dentist’s chair, this problem can be addressed in two main ways. First, you could try using pillows under the areas where you feel aches when going back in the chair. Second, the dentist may make an accommodation for you by putting the chair only halfway back during the checkup.

Meditate

Meditation calms your nerves by slowing your heart rate and forcing you to get into a rhythmic breathing. Try practicing at home for a few weeks before your appointment, so you know how to Zen out when needed.

Use a Nasal Strip

If you breathe through your mouth, you may have difficulty breathing during a dental appointment because you are not used to taking in air through your nose. By using a nasal strip across your nose, you open up the passages and get more air in.

Agree on a Signal

Before the drill comes out or the cleaning begins, talk to your dentist or hygienist about a nonverbal signal you can give if you become panicked or uncomfortable. When they see this signal, they can stop and give you a few moments to recover before continuing.

Consider Changing Dentists

If you don’t feel comfortable with your dentist, they may not be the right fit for you. It’s okay to look somewhere else to find a place where you do feel at home.

Talk About Your Pain Management Options

If you’re trying to overcome a fear of dentists, you may simply be scared of feeling pain during your visit. Chat with your dentist and hygienist about your fears so they understand where your anxiety is coming from. For example, we could use a topical anesthetic to numb the area where an injection will be made. By opening a dialogue with your dentist about alternatives to avoid pain, you will feel more at ease with whatever solution you find.

Sedation Dentistry Options

For patients who simply cannot overcome their feelings of anxiety and fear when they arrive at the dentist’s office, more and more dentists in Sanford are offering sedation dentistry options, and it is fairly common elsewhere. We can offer you a range of sedation options, depending on your needs. Be sure to ask about sedation options for your dental procedure. Progressive dental practices ensure patients are comfortable and will share that sedation options are there for a range of dental procedures, not just for “surgery”.

You CAN Get Over Your Fear of the Dentist

By using these tips and planning ahead for your visit, you can alleviate many of the dentist-related fears that may have been holding you back from getting regular dental care. Still, adults aren’t the only ones who are afraid of dental visits.

You can also find information and support online at Dental Fear Center, a website dedicated to helping people overcome their fear and anxiety about visiting the dentist. There’s no need to fear going to the dentist. You can get through your anxiety, go to the dentist with confidence, and feel great about your smile again.

Contact Us- We’d Love to Help You

At Oakport Dental, we are dedicated to our patients having the best and most comfortable dental experience. Knowing that you have a choice in Sanford dental care providers, we do our best to treat everyone who walks through our doors like a member of our own family.

Whether it is with determination, sedation options or professional help if needed, you can overcome your fear of the dentist. Use these ideas as a starting point to getting past your worries, and always feel free to contact us at Oakport Dental if you’d like to talk discuss your needs. We are available for you Monday to Friday between 8am and 4pm, and you can call us on 407-323-5340, fax us at (407) 322-9136, or email us at sanford@oakportdental.com.

Get Over Your Fear of the Dentist - Help Kids Overcome Dental Phobias

How to Help Your Child Overcome Their Dental Phobia 

We've looked at what may cause anxiety about dental visits and some ways to deal with them.  Now here are some tips on how to help your kids from developing the problem in the first place.

Don’t Pass on Your Fears to Your Kids

Kids whose parents are afraid of the dentist are much more likely to be scared of visiting the dentist than kids of parents who are not afraid of the dentist. While dental phobia isn’t easy to deal with, try not to expose your kids to your fears. Let them make up their own minds about the dentist.

Play Dentist at Home

Get your child ready for a dentist visit by trying a game of make-believe: Have your child play the patient while you play the dentist. Pretend to clean their teeth and check for cavities, and answer any questions they might have about the process.

Talk About Their Fears

Show your child that their fear of the dentist is nothing to be ashamed of. Discuss their concerns, and try to alleviate them if you can. Most importantly, listen. Kids appreciate being treated respectfully and being allowed to talk. Resist the urge to tell them their fears are silly or that they shouldn’t worry. Be a good listener, and you’ll be amazed at how the issue begins to resolve itself.

Begin Visiting the Dentist While They’re Young

Fear of the dentist can be a learned behavior. If your child is old enough to talk to other kids at school about the dentist, they may notice others are scared and become fearful themselves. Don’t allow that to happen. Start bringing your child to the dentist as soon as they get their baby teeth — they’ll become comfortable with cleaning and familiar with your dentist.

As dentists in Sanford for over 40 years, we've treated generations of families and can help put you and your child at ease.  Call us today to discuss.  407-323-5340

Get Over Your Fear of Dentist - Tips to Prepare Yourself for a Dental Visit

Prepare yourself before treatment

It’s time to tackle the problem. Start with these steps before your dental treatment:

Acknowledge the issue.

You may have been avoiding your dentist for years, or you may have only recently begun to feel uncomfortable. No matter how long you have suffered from dental phobia, you need to admit to yourself that you are afraid of visiting the dentist.

Figure out why.

It could be one of the reasons listed above, or it could be something more or less complex. You can’t confront your fear until you figure out what’s causing it.

Ask yourself if You Need Help?

If you feel nervous and anxious about going to the dentist, you can probably overcome that on your own, with the tips below. But if your phobia is being caused by a deeper issue, such as PTSD, then you may need professional assistance.

Choose the Right Dentist

Do not just choose the first dentist in Sanford that you see. Before committing to an appointment, ensure that the dentist’s temperament and personality is a good fit for you. Obviously you want someone experienced and knowledgeable first and foremost. But all the expertise in the world is no good to you if you don’t like the person who is providing treatment. If you need lots of reassurance during appointments, choose someone with the patience to provide that to you. If you need someone who is great at explaining complicated procedures in layman’s terms that anyone can understand, then make sure your dentist can do that.

Meet Your Dentist Before Getting Treated

Whether you’re visiting a new dentist in Sanford for the first time, or you’re making your first appointment in a while with your old dentist, call ahead and see if you can schedule a consultation appointment. When you go in for this visit, your dentist will not perform any procedures. The two of you will discuss your fears and the work that you need done. At this time, your dentist should explain the procedures associated with getting your teeth and gums back in good health. They should also discuss any anxiety-reducing options that they offer. For example, many dentists now provide pillows and blankets, and music and/or television in their exam rooms, as well as sedation dentistry options to help you feel relaxed and calm throughout your visit. During your consultation your dentist may perform a brief oral exam, if you are comfortable enough to have this done. If not, this can be saved for your next visit. Even if you are not able to have an oral exam performed, this visit should give you the tools necessary to go to your next appointment.

Ask Questions

Before you go to your next dental visit, find out everything you need to know about what procedures need to be done, how long it will take, and anything else that crosses your mind. Often, the fear of the unknown is far worse than the reality of what will occur – so put this fear to rest by arming yourself with a complete set of knowledge about what to expect at your visit. And the questions don’t have to end there. Once you arrive for your appointment, don’t hesitate to ask questions during the exam and any procedures you’ll be undergoing.

Be Upfront About Your Dental Phobia

Here at OakportDental we know that people can be scared of coming to us, and we want to help. We won’t judge you or dismiss your fears. We will work with you to help you feel more relaxed. This may include: Talking to you during a cleaning, letting you see the dental instruments before they are used -you may even want to touch or hold them to help them feel familiar- and explaining everything that will happen during your appointment before starting. When the hygienist or dentist knows your fears, they can be sure to take those fears into consideration during the appointment.

Call us today to discuss how we can help.  407-323-5340

Get Over Your Fear of the Dentist (4 part series)

Are you Afraid of the Dentist?

When you think of going to the dentist, do you feel your pulse rising? Do you tense up at the thought of sitting in that chair and hearing the sound of the drill as your dentist goes to work on your cavities? All those whirring metallic tools, the possibility of receiving bad news about your oral health… it can all be a bit too much. At Oakport Dental Sanford we understand this, but, first of all, you are certainly not alone.

Adults and children alike are vulnerable to fear of the dentist. According to the Dental Fears Research Clinic, between five and eight percent of Americans avoid visiting the dentist because they are scared. Another 20 percent say they go to the dentist only when they have to because of their fears. Children are even more likely than adults to be wary of the dentist: Thirty percent of kids say they are scared to visit the dentist. But you don’t have to live in fear. There are actually quite a few ways to overcome your dental anxiety, and your dentist in Sanford will provide a lot of options to help you out, too.

Why Do People Fear Dentists?

Before we get into how to get over your fear of visiting the dentist, though, let’s discuss some of the leading causes of dental phobias. After all, it’s much easier to handle a phobia if you understand its underlying causes. Why are people scared of dentists? There can be a lot of reasons. Here are the five most common:

1. A Bad Dental Experience as a Child

 Most people who report intense anxiety or fear when they visit the dentist say that they are afraid of feeling pain. With advancements in anesthetics and sedation dentistry, there’s no reason to be afraid of feeling pain when you’re in the dentist’s chair, but past experiences can have compelling and lasting effects. Thus, the real cause for a lot of patients who suffer from this phobia is carryover from a bad experience at the dentist’s office when they were younger.

Many people with dental phobia have held these fears since they were children, dating back to an unpleasant episode they had with a dentist in the past. Perhaps they had a tooth filled and the Novocain hadn’t quite kicked in before the dentist started drilling, leading to a very painful few moments. Or maybe a dental hygienist accidentally scraped a gum with their pick while cleaning teeth, hurting the person’s gums. It’s easy to see why someone would be loath to return to the dentist after an experience like this. They have a fear that those traumatic events will happen again. No one likes to get hurt, and many people choose to avoid having to go to the dentist altogether rather than to face those fears.

2. Pre-Existing Anxiety Disorder

For many people, an anxiety disorder that’s not even dental related may be causing their dental phobia. They may feel anxious about anything unknown, and not knowing what to expect at the dentist’s office — such as whether they will have cavities or need fluoride — can ramp up those feelings of nervousness.

3. Lack of Control

Others experience fear of the dentist because they fear the loss of control associated with letting someone else perform invasive procedures on their teeth. They know logically that their dentist will do everything in his or her power to make the procedure as comfortable and quick as possible, but they have problems giving up control and trusting their dentist to perform these tasks. Some people feel vulnerable when they are sitting in the dentist chair. They don’t like lying back and not being able to see what is going on around them. This is especially true of those who may suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, as they worry about the unknown when they do not have complete control of a situation.

4. Bad Teeth

Sadly, a dental phobia can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. People who are scared of the dentist may be fearful of going because they worry they have cavities that will need to be drilled.  As a result of these issues, many people avoid visiting the dentist for months or even years when they know that they should be making regular appointments. They avoid getting their teeth cleaned because they feel anxious about visiting the dentist. Then they continue avoiding the dentist because they fear that they’ve developed cavities and will need to have them filled or worse. Unfortunately, this can continue until major dental work is needed, which can be both expensive and uncomfortable.

5. Biological Mechanisms

Here’s a little-known fact uncovered by a Norwegian researcher: Humans have a deep desire to protect their open air passages. The desire is an evolutionary instinct: Our ancestors who protected their mouths and noses were more likely to remain alive. While we no longer face threats from the beasts that may have hunted our ancestors down, we still maintain that desire to protect our mouths and noses. That means our natural instinct is to resist opening our mouths and becoming vulnerable to another person. Instead, we are biologically built to guard these areas and keep them private.

Perhaps you nodded your head as you read those examples. Even if you don’t have a paralyzing fear of dentists, you may still become nervous when you go for a cleaning or take your seat in the chair. So what can you do to stop the cycle? We’ll give you some tips and strategies in the next few posts.

And of course we are always here to help!  If you are looking for a Sanford, FL dentist, call us at 407-323-5340 to schedule a consultation.

Treatment for Sensitive Teeth

If you suffer from sensitive teeth, there’s pain lurking around every corner. Hot cups of coffee, a platter of crudités or even breathing in cold air can be excruciating.  Tooth sensitivity affects many people, so you’re not suffering from it alone. As many as 25% of people may have this problem. Here is everything you need to know about sensitive teeth, including causes and treatments.

Symptoms of Sensitive Teeth

A common symptom of sensitive teeth is discomfort when your teeth are exposed to extremes in temperature, such as when drinking very hot or very cold beverages. Very sweet foods or very sticky ones can sometimes also cause symptoms to flare up. Even breathing in cold winter air through your mouth can be enough to cause pain for a person with sensitive teeth. You may also feel pain simply from chewing, or even flossing.  However, since these symptoms could be caused by things other than simple tooth sensitivity, consult with your dentist to confirm the diagnosis and best treatment.

Causes of Sensitive Teeth

So why does it happen? Tooth sensitivity to extreme temperatures is most often due to an exposed root surface.  What does that mean?

Enamel, the strongest substance in your entire body, provides a protective layer over the exposed parts of your teeth. The tooth root below the gum line is protected by cementum. Beneath the enamel and cementum lies the dentin. Within the dentin are tiny tubules, invisible to the naked eye. If the protective enamel or cementum are breached, these tiny tubules allow heat and cold, plus sticky or acidic foods to irritate the nerves and interior of the tooth. But there are easy ways to treat this common issue.

However, some of the causes of a breach in your enamel include cavities, fractures in your enamel, worn-out fillings, and gum disease. Exposed tooth roots can also play a role. Thus, restorative dental treatment may be necessary so make sure to check with your Sanford dentist.

Treatment of Sensitive Teeth

The good news is, sensitive teeth can be treated.  While waiting for the effects of treatment to kick in, avoid the things that lead to pain. Don’t drink piping hot coffee or tea, avoid ice in your drinks. Remember, preventative oral care is key.

1. Use toothpaste made for sensitive teeth

A desensitizing toothpaste contains compounds that help block transmissions of sensation from the tooth surface to the nerve. Not every product is worth the money so look for toothpastes that display the ADA Seal of Recognition, your assurance that products have met ADA criteria for safety and effectiveness. Most people will feel a difference within a week to 10 days.

 

2. Choose a soft-bristled toothbrush

Since you want to keep the protective layer of your teeth as strong as possible, it makes sense that you shouldn’t go about cleaning them with the same vigour that you would scrub a dirty pot. A toothbrush with soft bristles is recommended to clean your mouth without damaging teeth or gums. If you have a fancy ultrasonic electric toothbrush, you may want to do a trial without it – the intense vibrations may be too much to handle for some teeth!  Also, talk to your hygienist about which toothbrush is right for you.

 

3. Look for dental products with fluoride

While it may sound like a marketing buzzword, fluoride is the real deal and can be an important part of your dental routine. Fluoride can help remineralize, or strengthen, a tooth surface that has been demineralized by bacterial acids. So upgrade your mouthwash and toothpaste if you’re not already using products that contain fluoride.

 

4. Cut down on acidic food and drinks

Altering your diet, particularly where acidic items are concerned, can keep you from wincing in pain every time you sit down to eat. Acidic food and drink can contribute to tooth erosion and tooth sensitivity. Consume soft drinks, citrus fruit juices and wine in moderation.

 

5. Get a night guard

If you find you often wake up with a dull headache or a sore jaw, you could be spending your hours of slumber slowly ruining your teeth. Grinding teeth for prolonged periods can contribute to tooth sensitivity through tooth wear. But there’s an easy solution to this damaging problem: Your dentist can fit you with a mouth guard to protect your teeth during sleep.

 

6. Practice good oral care

There’s nothing new about this one. Brush and floss daily and make regular trips to your dentist. It might seem overly simple, but it’s the absolute best way to keep your teeth in tip-top shape. Proper oral hygiene is the key to preventing gums from receding and causing sensitive-tooth pain.

If these strategies don’t do the trick, talk to your dentist about in-office alternatives. These may include the application of a fluoride gel or prescription-strength desensitizers. If these steps fail, your dentist may suggest a filling, a crown, or other method of correcting the defect in your enamel or cementum that is causing your pain.

The Bottom Line

Remember that you’re not alone in this, and your dentist likely has lots of experience in treating this perplexing problem. Check with your dentist to make sure your tooth sensitivity isn’t being caused by something requiring immediate attention, and if not, go ahead and try an over-the-counter solution for a hopefully easy fix. If you don’t get adequate improvement though, head back to your dentist to discuss other options.  If you are in the Sanford area, we at Oakport Dental would be pleased to be of service!