Are You Gripped with Fear Over Pain in the Dental Office?
Saturday, September 25th, 2010How long has it been since you were in a dental office? A year, two, or perhaps it has been closer to a decade. Do you begin to sweat at the thought of simply making an appointment with your dentist? You are far from alone in this regard; many people suffer this level of dental anxiety. There are many causes of this kind of dental fear, but the most reported reason is fear of pain.
This fear has been dramatized by Hollywood movies, which depict the dentist as a cruel and often sadistic individual who takes great pleasure in hurting their patients. This of course is fantasy and illusion, created to make money from interesting movies. Unfortunately the stigma has stuck through the years.
It may be helpful to understand where your fear originates and some of the ways modern dentistry addresses these issues.
Childhood Experiences
When you are a small child, dental offices can be quite intimidating – there are tons of odd smells and sounds, not to mention people in white coats with masks! Add to this experience the pain of shots and the vibration of drilling and you have a powerful memory that becomes more intense due to a child’s imagination. If you can identify with this scenario, you may have been avoiding the dentist for years to the detriment of your teeth and gums.
Past experiences are tough to overcome, especially if they include any actual pain. Several years ago, there was little choice when it came to numbing your gums for dental procedures; a shot of numbing medication in the gums was your only option. Today however, dentists understand that a lot of people suffer from dental anxiety because of pain and they offer several alternatives. Numbing creams prior to shots, numbing mouthwash and sedation dentistry are all options.
Pain Free Dentistry
There is some debate over whether dental procedures can truly be painless. Some dentists will tell you that pain free dentistry is quite possible while others will tell you it is impossible. The truth is somewhere in between these two extremes. Most procedures can, in fact, be done with little or no discomfort.However, every once in a while you will feel some discomfort. But, even this discomfort can be minimized with the proper techniques.
Drilling of cavities is a procedure that many people dread,not only because it can cause pain but also simply because the sound of the drill is so grating to the nerves. If the sounds and vibration of the traditional dentist drill sends your dental anxiety into overdrive, you will be excited to know that there are new tools available for surface decay. This tool is referred to as a dental laser or air abrasion unit, utilizing air and powder mixture this dental tool gently removes the cavity with no drilling.
Anesthesia is another option for pain free dental procedures. There are two ways this can be accomplished – through IV medication or more simply with a prescription medication. This is called sedation dentistry and is very popular with patients who suffer severe dental anxiety. Your dentist can prescribe a medication that will relax you just prior to your visit; this is a safer method than IV sedation.
Pain Levels
Pain tolerance levels are part of the problem when it comes to determining treatment. Every person has their own set pain tolerance level.For instance, you may experience real pain during a routine examine while another individual can have a tooth extraction with no anesthesia (of course that is never recommended!)
You can address this as a possible issue with your dentist.Before you actually get into the chair, talk to your practitioner about signs or signals you can use that indicate discomfort. Your dentist should agree to immediately stop the procedure until you are ready to proceed.
After Care
Another common dental fear is concern about pain after the anesthetic has worn off. This is typical when you are having extractions, root canals or deep fillings performed. The trauma the gums and teeth experience can cause swelling and pain several hours after the procedure.
If you are worried about this type of pain, talk to your dentist about their aftercare procedures. Some dentists will call and check up on you after a visit and most will do their best to ensure you have adequate pain medication.
Some dentists will use a type of anesthesia that lasts longer.Or, prior to the procedure, they might give you pain medication which has been shown to be effective at managing pain afterward. If you are concerned about pain after a particularly difficult procedure, you can ask your dentist if they are permitted to prescribe narcotic-level painkillers.
In addition, truly remarkable discoveries have been recently made in our ability to use the mind to manage pain. You should also be aware that a good health coach or counselor can help you learn to apply some of these discoveries.
Conclusion
Dental anxiety is the number one reason people avoid going to the dentist and the biggest reason for this fear is pain. If you have had a bad experience with a dentist, it is easy to see why you could be afraid of a repeat performance. Today however, procedures, tools and medications have improved so much that dental procedures can be nearly painless.
Do not neglect your teeth because you fear pain in the dental chair. This type of dental fear will merely lead to more pain from decaying teeth, and you can believe that type of pain is much worse than anything you could feel from dental procedures.
