Do you experience dental anxiety? You’re not alone. Fear of the dentist is commonplace and affects all ages. This fear ranges from mild to severe, with some individuals avoiding the dentist altogether out of a deep-set dental phobia.
If you’re skipping important dental appointments because of dental anxiety, you’re missing out on much-needed dental care and making yourself susceptible to dental problems. The good news is, you can still get dental treatment even if you experience dental anxiety in Houston, TX.
Our anxiety dentist near you is well-versed in providing dental care to patients with dental anxiety and takes steps to ensure you feel safe, relaxed, and comfortable at all times.
If you struggle with dental anxiety in Houston, it may be as a result of one or more of several factors, including:
Fear of pain. Some individuals experience dental anxiety because they associate dental procedures with great pain. A previous unpleasant experience may trigger such thoughts, resulting in feelings of apprehension.
Loss of control. Some patients experience a sense of helplessness when seated in the dentist’s chair, leading to feelings of anxiety.
Personal space issues. If you have strong feelings about letting people into your personal space, you may struggle to relax when you’re up close and personal with a dental professional.
Generalized anxiety disorder. If you live with GAD, the feelings of anxiety may spill over to your dental appointments.
Fear of needles. People who are terrified of needles may struggle to relax in the dentist’s chair.
Embarrassment. Individuals who feel self-conscious about their teeth or breath often struggle to remain relaxed during their dental appointments.
Do you require dental care but are struggling with feelings of dental anxiety in Richmond Avenue? AK Dentistry can help.
We encourage patients who experience dental anxiety to let our dentist know in advance, so we can take steps to accommodate you. One way of dealing with dental anxiety is by getting sufficient information regarding the dental procedure at hand, so you know what to expect.
We also administer appropriate anesthesia during our treatments to manage pain.
Lastly, you may require sedation to ensure a relaxed experience. We offer oral sedation and laughing gas sedation and vary the levels of sedation from mild to moderate depending on the patient’s needs.
If you’re looking for a dental office that provides outstanding and compassionate dental care to patients with dental anxiety near you, please contact AK Dentistry today.
Dental anxiety is normal. It is a common feeling and it can help motivate you to take care of your teeth. The key is to recognize your anxiety and make sure you work through it with the help of a dentist or other mental health professional.
Anxiety is a common problem among patients, especially those who have dentistry-related fears. However, many types of dental procedures do not require anesthesia and can be performed under local anesthesia.
Dentists calm anxiety by being available and listening to a patient’s concerns. They will also explain that their work is important and that they have the training and education to do it well.
You could start by talking to your dentist about what you’re worried about and see if they can help. Perhaps they don’t have a large waiting room, or don’t accept walk-in patients. It may be that you need to look at other options, like finding friendly orthodontists to dentists who are willing to work on adults as well as children.
Dental anxiety can occur at any age. It is usually caused by fear of the pain and fear that may be associated with dental procedures. Common symptoms include having difficulty swallowing or talking, and dizziness or feeling nauseous.