Most people feel a little anxious when visiting a dentist, at least until they receive a clean bill of health. However, approximately a third of Canadians do not visit a dentist in Whitby regularly. It’s difficult to know precisely how many people avoid the dentist because of fears, but it’s estimated approximately 15% have Dental anxiety.
Unfortunately, avoidance can make any problems worse. If Dental Anxiety prevents you from seeing a dentist, then a cavity that is easy to fill, may worsen and will eventually require a root canal. That said, we know here at Margolian Dentistry, that conquering your fears can be hard. The good news is that we are here to help you. If you haven’t visited us before, you’ll find our entire dental team are extremely sympathetic and caring towards people with fears and dental anxiety, and if you let us, we can provide you with compassionate and gentle dental care.
Dental anxiety can develop for a variety of reasons. Some people have a fear of injections, while others may have had a previous bad experience. Also, dental anxiety can be passed on, so if your parents or any older siblings hated seeing the dentist or had negative experiences, they may have passed on these feelings to you. Sometimes even discussing these fears can be helpful, and understanding your dental anxieties enables us to plan and provide treatment in a way that is non-threatening for you and at a pace that feels comfortable.
One thing that can help tremendously is to consider Sedation dentistry.
Why Use Sedation Dentistry?
Sedation dentistry is a safe and effective way to help you relax during treatment, overcoming dental anxiety. Instead of feeling fearful, you will feel comfortable enough to receive essential dental care. Receiving dental sedation can be invaluable if you need quite a bit of treatment to restore dental health. Every sedation treatment is carefully customized, to ensure you receive the correct amount of sedation to feel comfortable. The lightest form of sedation is oral conscious sedation.
Oral Conscious Sedation
As the name implies, with oral conscious sedation you will remain conscious during treatment and it is given in two different ways. In Oshawa, laughing gas or nitrous oxide is inhaled during the appointment through a small comfortable mask that fits over your nose. Otherwise, we can prescribe an oral sedative that you take an hour before your appointment. These treatments may be used on their own or combined for greater effect.
Intravenous Sedation
Intravenous sedation is a deeper form of sedation that will make you feel deeply relaxed and sometimes quite sleepy. Don’t worry, as you will still be able to respond to questions, but afterwards, you may find you have no memory about your treatment. It’s a good way to receive more extensive treatments comfortably. Intravenous sedation can be extremely useful for specific procedures, for example, dental implants in Ajax.
Keeping You Safe during Sedation Dentistry
Before administering any form of sedation, our dentist will talk to you extensively about your medical history to make sure sedation is appropriate. During your appointment, we will continually monitor you, and for a short while afterwards too. We take every possible precaution to keep you safe, and of course, our team is here to answer any questions about this treatment.
If it’s been a while since you visited a dentist and you’d love to overcome your dental anxiety, then let us help you. Get in touch today and discover a different and more comfortable dental experience.
