If you are one of the many people who deal with dentistry related anxiety, then this article is for you. Today our Elmhurst sedation dentists are sharing information about dental phobia, as well as some solutions to this problem. Keep reading to learn more…
Signs of Anxiety
Patients who suffer from dental phobia and related anxiety disorders may find their lives impacted in a number of ways. If you find yourself dealing with any of these common signs of dental anxiety, then it is probably time to talk to your dentist about what you can do…
- Regularly rescheduling or canceling appointments
- Begrudgingly living with dental damage, or putting off beneficial treatment
- Stress dreams and sleep disturbances leading up to your appointment
- Lightheadedness, increased sweating, or racing heartbeat
It is super common for dental phobic patients to avoid treatment and even oral health assessments—we totally get it! The good news is there are steps we can take to help you feel calmer and more comfortable in the dentist’s chair.
Oral Conscious Sedation
The primary purpose of oral conscious sedation is to increase feelings of wellbeing during the treatment process. Once you take a small sedating pill, you’ll start to feel calm and unbothered by dental assessments and treatments. Importantly, this medication does not render you unconscious, which means you will be able to communicate with our team the whole time. However, the medication does have an amnesic effect, so you probably won’t be able to remember your interactions with our team once the sedative’s effects have worn off.
Open Communication
No matter how many advancements we make with sedation technology, fostering an open patient-dentist relationship will always be paramount to overcoming dental phobia. When patients are able to communicate openly about their concerns, past experiences, and dental goals, our team is able to design treatment plans that fit their respective needs.
Dental anxiety is a very serious issue for many people, but it doesn’t have to keep you sidelined forever. There are treatment solutions available to you, and our Elmhurst sedation dentists are here to help you learn more about them! Please don’t hesitate to call our office, or use the Contact Us page on our site to schedule a personal consultation.