Are you afraid of going to the dentist? Don't worry if you are, it's perfectly normal and far more common than you might think, affection millions of people worldwide. The fear is sometimes referred to as 'dental phobia' or 'dental anxiety' and can cause people to spend years, even decades, avoiding the dentist. While dental phobia is nothing to be embarrassed about, avoiding appointments with your local dentist is not the answer.
Instead, going for long periods of time without regular dental checkups can result in the deterioration of your teeth and gums, and may even require more serious and drastic dental procedures to be performed.
In this article we'll take a look at some of the problems that can arise from avoiding your dentist, and how to overcome your fear with sedation dentistry.
Consequences of not going to the dentist
Not visiting the dentist can result in everything from plaque and tartar buildup to more serious dental diseases. In terms of taking care of your oral hygiene, avoiding checkups may mean that bad brushing habits go uncorrected, leading to a buildup of plaque and unhealthy teeth.
On an aesthetic level, this may result in stained teeth or bad breath, but the consequences can be far worse if you develop a toothache or another condition. These will most likely result in having to go to the dentist anyway, so it's far better to simply get your teeth checked regularly to make sure they are always healthy.
From a practical standpoint, surgery is also much more expensive than the cost of a normal appointment, especially if an operation is required, so there's no excuse for staying away.
Sedation dentistry
In saying that, though, the team at City Dentists are aware that some people are anxious or phobic, and will do everything possible to make the experience as easy and relaxed as possible.
Sedation dentistry is an option that works for most people, and it's a solution that we offer to customers. The process is simple: A dentist will administer a sedative that puts the patient into a relaxed state, while remaining conscious and able to communicate. This allows the process to take place quickly and painlessly, and in many cases will be barely remembered, if at all.
Sedation dentistry can be used in almost any circumstance, for everything from simple scaling to tooth extraction, and ensures that patients who would otherwise stay away feel comfortable to go in and get the healthcare that their bodies require.