Over 20% of American struggle with fear and anxiety when it comes to making a trip to the dentist. Reasons vary from patient to patient, but the most common reasons people neglect their oral health is due to fear. This is known as dentophobia. 

Do any of these phrases sound like you or someone you know?

• “This is going to hurt.” (Fear of pain)
• “I’ve had a bad experience in the past.” (Fear of the dentist)
• “I feel unable to control the situation.” (Fear of helplessness)
• “My teeth are really bad.” (Fear of judgement)
• “I can’t afford to see the dentist.” (Fear of financial impact)

If the answer is yes, then you or the person you know may benefit from sedation dentistry.

How bad is it if I just don’t go to the dentist?

Neglecting your oral health can have a severely negative impact on your overall physical health. Putting it off increases your risk of severe dental infections, tooth loss, oral cancer, heart conditions, dementia, respiratory infections, diabetes, complications during pregnancy, infertility, erectile dysfunction, kidney disease, and rheumatoid arthritis. Simply put, not seeing a dentist regularly could spell some serious trouble.

So how can sedation dentistry help?

The word “sedation” may sound scary, but it really isn’t! That’s because it’s an excellent way to bring comfort and ease to our patients who struggle with anxiety and fear over seeing the dentist, and make sure they get the oral care they need.

Using a combination of general anesthetic and sedation, sedation dentistry is revolutionizing the relationships between dentists and their patients. It gives patients the power they need to know they’re getting a gentle and care-free experience.

How exactly does it work?

Not the way you might think. If you’re worried about a loss of control, you need not worry. Under sedation dentistry, you’re actually aware of everything taking place during your procedure. You will still be able to communicate with your dentist and the staff — you just may feel like taking a light nap. It’s also likely that you won’t remember much, if any, of the procedure afterward. Sedation dentistry relaxes you for 2-8 hours after administration, giving you the ability to remain calm during your appointment and after.

So if you want:

• Relief from anxiety
• Little to no memory of your visit
• No pain
• Faster procedure times

Then sedation dentistry could make all the difference. Get yourself and your loved ones the care they deserve, and schedule an appointment with us today.