For some people, a visit to the dentist is an appointment that is filled with fear and apprehension. Nearly 75% of the global adult population has some degree of fear associated with going to the dentist. At worst, this fear can become a phobia known as “dentophobia” and may cause the avoidance of appointments completely. It is highly important to visit your dentist every six months for regular check-ups. These ensure that you have good and lifelong oral health and can be the first point in identifying more serious dental problems that need to be rectified. Visits to the dentist need not be a source of stress and worry, and with the knowledge below, hopefully, any concerns can be minimized.
Choose the right dentist
A good dentist will fully appreciate that a lot of people have fears of visiting the dental surgery. You should be able to talk through your fears with a dentist, and he or she will be able to assess your level of apprehension. They should be empathetic to your concerns and fears and should be able to reassure you of the procedures they use. If a dentist does not understand these issues (especially when fear of dentists is a very common condition), then it makes good sense to consider changing your dental practice. Here are some more facts you can use to determine if you have a good dentist.
Understand the equipment your dentist uses
Often the fear of dentists is associated with thoughts of discomfort or pain. When you understand that all the equipment in a dental surgery is designed for comfort, safety, and efficiency, these fears can begin to subside. For example, most dentists now use electric scaling and polishing equipment that reduces the need for manual scraping of the teeth. This tends to be pain-free for most patients. When tooth extractions are needed, the gumline with be effectively anesthetized, and patients should not feel any pain, only the rather unpleasant sound of the tooth being removed. You’ll find that many practices will take plenty of time to find the right equipment, even down to the right type of chair they supply. Thanks to in-depth guides on understanding your dental chair, dental practices can get a better grasp of what to buy. Be reassured by the fact that this is designed to be exceptionally supportive and comfortable, gives your dentist perfect access to your mouth, and ensures that accurate dental work is undertaken with a minimum of fuss.
Fear of needles
For some people, the thought of needle injections can be a source of worry. When it is serious enough to become a phobia, it is called Trypanophobia, which is a condition affecting about 25% of the adult population. This phobia can be a key reason people avoid the dentist or surgical procedures in general. Thankfully, the modern world has produced a way to reduce the fear of needles in dentistry. As some of the fear comes from the associated pain with a needle going into the gumline, dentists now use a topical anesthetic to effectively numb the gums before the needle goes in. While needle injections are needed in some dentistry procedures, take solace in the fact that you will not need to feel the needle itself. Your dentist will be able to talk you through each stage of such a procedure and may be able to complete it in such a way as to minimize your view of the needle.
Experienced digital marketer with a knack for devising and executing strategies that skyrocket online presence. Proficient in SEO, PPC, content creation, and analytics. Let’s collaborate and amplify your brand’s digital footprint. Connect now for a digital transformation journey!