Part of being human is being scared or having phobias, and our natural reaction is to avoid our fears.
Johnson and Johnson Dental know and understand that the dental office isn't everyone's happy place and can be incredibly stressful, but avoiding the dentist only impacts negatively on our own physical well being, leading to some pretty stressful and financially painful issues.
There are many reasons people are scared of the dentist:
past bad experiences
fear of pain
fear of cost
embarrassment at the state of your mouth
lack of control
sometimes we are just scared and can't identify why, because someone is, literally, in your face.
More and more research is being published that we are just hard wired to fear the dentist's office; it is a deep biological survival instinct to protect a vulnerable area of our body.
While it is really important to acknowledge your fear, how you manage it is the issue. There is nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about; believe it or not there are things that dentists are scared of and we get it.
Tell your dentist. It is vital we recognise your worries, they are real, and work with you to manage them. Your relationship with your dentist is one of trust and if there is something you aren't happy with we want to know. One of the most important things you can do is see your dentist on a regular basis; by doing this you learn how they work, talk, it all becomes more predictable and familiar. Sometimes the dentist talking you through the procedure can be helpful; that way you know that every sensation (pressure, air, noise) is normal.
If cost is the biggest issue, tell your dentist and let them help you work within a budget or discuss financing options.
Pain: none of us want it and dentists do not enjoy inflicting it. Modern local anaesthetics are pretty sophisticated and dentists work really hard to avoid hurting anyone. Remember, regular dental and hygiene appointments help avoid the more painful and expensive procedures (but you know that already).
Sedation is a great option for some people. At Johnson and Johnson Dental we use a range of prescription medications from low dose anxiolytics (don't knock you out but just reduce the anxious feelings) to more sedative medications that leave you sleepy and very relaxed.
If any of this describes you let us know, let us help. Contact us today.
