Do you experience dental anxiety? Our team at Hermitage Dental Group understands how debilitating anxiety can be. We love helping patients overcome their fears and have positive experiences at the dentist. In this blog post, we suggest tips to reduce your dental anxiety!
Help Yourself Stay Relaxed
Make the necessary preparations to keep your visit as easy and stress-free as possible. For example, eat (then brush your teeth) so you aren’t hangry and wear comfortable clothing.
Additionally, give yourself ample time to get to your appointment. Head over to our office early so you won’t feel rushed if you get caught in traffic or need to stop for gas.
If you can schedule your visits on days when your schedule is a little lighter and you have less to worry about, that can help ease anxiety.
We also recommend that patients plan on doing something fun after their dental visits that they can look forward to, even if it’s something small like going on a walk or watching your favorite movie.
Utilize Dental Sedation
Dental sedation is an excellent way to reduce dental anxiety safely and effectively. Consult with our team to determine the best form of sedation for your unique needs!
For patients who have mild to moderate dental anxiety or want a sedation option that will wear off quickly, we recommend nitrous oxide (also called laughing gas). This is inhaled via a nose mask.
Oral conscious sedation is a prescribed pill that induces an even deeper state of relaxation. This will make you drowsy and less aware of your surroundings, but you can still respond to questions.
Our office also provides IV sedation. This medication is administered directly into your bloodstream to put you into a relaxed, sleep-like state.
Communicate with Our Team
Whether you have recently developed dental anxiety or it’s something you’ve dealt with for as long as you can remember, we don’t want you to suffer in silence. Sometimes asking a few questions about a treatment can help to make it far less scary and intimidating.
Our team would be happy to go over your treatment with you so you’ll know what to expect. By asking questions and being open about your fears, our friendly and compassionate team can work with you to reduce your anxious thoughts and feelings.
Contact us today for additional tips to overcome your dental anxiety!