Do you feel apprehensive about visiting the dentist? Well, you’re not alone! Some studies show up to 15% of the population experiences some level of dental anxiety. We know these feelings are very real and often rooted in past experiences. However, we also want you to know that we take steps to help our Dallas, TX, patients remain calm and relaxed using sedation dentistry.
In some cases, patients feel anxiety because they’ve never visited the dentist before. Other patients may have had a bad experience in a previous visit to a different dentist. However, without routine visits, the lack of checkups and cleanings allow minor problems to flourish, leading to decay, infections, gum disease, and eventually, loss of natural teeth. If you haven’t been to the dentist in a while, and notice your teeth hurt or feel sensitive, or that your gums feel sore or bleed easily, then you need to see us.
Also known as laughing gas, this is the most common form of sedation used. We administer nitrous oxide through a mask over the nose. The gas helps the patient enter a calm and relaxed state, but still able to respond to the dentist. Patients have little to no memory of the procedure afterward and the effects wear off right away, so patients can actually drive themselves home or return to work/school. We can administer the gas throughout the procedure or procedures as needed.
For a deeper form of calming, we may prescribe oral sedation. The patient has a light supper the night before and avoids food and drink in the eight hours before the procedure. They take a pill prior to the visit. They then enter a deep state of calm, again with little to no memory of the procedure afterward. The effects will take time to wear off, so we recommend having a friend or family member bring you home.
Using our calming solutions, we can help anxious patients enjoy improved oral health. For more information, schedule an appointment by calling Gentle Smiles in Dallas, TX, today at 972-329-7645 (972-329-SMILE).
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