Dental Care Is Possible Even With Dental Anxiety

Being afraid of the dentist is fairly common. Experts estimate that up to 15 percent of the population experience dental anxiety in some form or another.

Dealing with dental anxiety takes patience on your part along with the support of your general dentist office. In Boynton Beach, FL, Dr. Hugh B. Rosenblatt and our team understand this. It’s why we take a comprehensive approach to dental care.

We offer sedation dentistry as well as a range of comfort options. Whether you struggle with severe, moderate, or mild dental anxiety, we have ways to help.

Call (561) 877-3802 or contact us online if you would like to learn more about what we can do to help you manage your dental anxiety.

Often, you will see people talking about conquering fears, but it’s more likely to be a gradual process. We find that the more people visit our office, the more comfortable they feel receiving dental care.

Understand The Reasons For Your Anxiety

Dr. Norman Corah created a questionnaire to help patients understand their anxiety and their fears related to the dentist. The Journal of the American Dental Association has written about the effectiveness of this scale for assessing anxiety levels.

We won’t present the entire questionnaire, but if you are interested in taking it, you can find it here.

For now, we will give you some examples of questions you will consider on Dr. Corah’s scale. This can give you some idea why receiving dental care may be difficult for you.

▶ When do you start to feel anxious about dental care: before you make an appointment, when you arrive at the office, or when you are seated in a dentist’s chair?

▶ Are you worried that the dentist might criticize the condition of your teeth, particularly if you haven’t been to the dentist in years?

▶ Are you worried that your dental treatment will be painful?

▶ Are you worried that the dentist will use a needle to numb your mouth?

▶ Are you worried that the dentist may need to use “the drill” or any other specific piece of equipment?

▶ Have you had a bad experience previously at a dentist office?

Answering these questions can give you some insight into why dental care is difficult for you. When you contact us, let us know what your concerns are.

In fact, before you make an appointment for a dental cleaning, we encourage you to schedule a consultation instead. This is an opportunity to meet Dr. Rosenblatt and members of our team and to visit our office without the pressure you may feel with a dental cleaning.

This is your chance to discuss your concerns. The more we know about you, the more we can work with you to find a way to make your dental care easier.

Again, feel free to call 561-877-3802 if you would like to learn more about how we work with patients who are anxious. With that in mind, here are some examples of ways we may be able to help.

For Patients With Severe Dental Anxiety

For some patients, the best way to handle dental anxiety is to be unaware of what is happening during their visit. Oral sedation can make this possible.

With oral sedation, you may have little or no memory of the actual procedure, but you will still receive the same oral health benefit.

You should know that oral sedation’s effects can last for a few hours. A friend or family member should drive you home after your appointment.

For Patients With Moderate Dental Anxiety

For patients with moderate anxiety, a combination of comfort options and sedation dentistry may be more appropriate.

Our comfort options include things that can help you feel cozy. Neck pillows and blankets may help you relax. We are happy to provide you with bottled water as well. We have a television and music available in each of our treatment rooms, which may provide a distraction from you dental care.

These options can be combined with nitrous oxide (laughing gas) to keep you calm throughout your visit. Nitrous oxide takes effect and wears off quickly at the end of your treatment.

For Patients With Mild Dental Anxiety

Many patients with mild anxiety find that our comfort options and the compassionate approach of our staff are enough to help them relax. You also have the option of nitrous oxide if you think it can help you cope with a particular piece of dental equipment or a particular procedure.

Start By Contacting Us

We want to help you get the dental care you need to keep your mouth healthy. At the same time, we want you to feel comfortable receiving that care.

A good first step is calling 561-877-3802 to make an appointment or contacting us online with your questions.