Dental Anxiety and Fear
Its quite normal for patients to experience some level of anxiety at the thought of being reclined in the dentist’s chair.
For some, the fear is so great they avoid going to the dentist altogether, much to the detriment of their health. Yet, regular visits are an integral part of a healthy mouth and body. But the good news is: there are things you and
Dr. Buttaro can do to ease that fear and make your visit much more comfortable.
Ways to ease diminish anxiety:
- Communicate – The team at Fife Dental can’t calm your worries if they don’t know what those worries are. Don’t be afraid to express your fears, no matter how minor or silly you think they are. Being relaxed makes your treatment easier for both you and Dr. Buttaro.
- Listen to music – Bring a music player to listen to your favorite songs or an audio book.
- Throat spray – One common dental worry is the fear of gagging, and many people have a sensitive gag reflex. Throat sprays such as Chloraseptic to lightly numb the throat muscles and dulls the gag reflex.
- Use a signal – Agree on a hand signal with Dr. Buttaro or team member to indicate they should stop working. Whenever you flash your signal she will know you need a break.
- Anesthesia - Local anesthesia will numb the area and remove any feeling in the area Dr. Buttaro is providing treatment for.
- Sedation – There are more options than ever to alleviate anxiety in the dentist chair. You can choose from sedation methods such as nitrous oxide (laughing gas), or oral sedation (a pill). Both of them promote relaxation and take the edge off nervousness.
