It is not always easy to find the courage to face the dentist without fear. Common dental anxiety triggers often keep patients from addressing their oral health issues. We help our patients manage dental fear and improve their oral hygiene for healthy, confident smiles.
October is National Dental Hygiene Awareness Month, and now, more than ever, it’s important to raise awareness about dental hygiene and oral health care. Professional dental attention and daily oral care are necessary to maintain healthy teeth and gums. Yet many patients are scared of seeing the dentist and delay getting the dental care they need. Fear of dentists, also known as dentophobia, often triggers anxiety. It can be attributed to negative dental experiences or feeling a loss of control.
The statistics are frightening. Cleveland Clinic reports dentophobia is so common that about 36% of people in the U.S. have a fear of dental treatment, with 12% having an extreme fear. Dental fear can lead to the deterioration of healthy teeth and gums. To overcome dentophobia it is imperative to understand what it is triggered by and establish an oral health care routine focused on comfort and care.
1. Dental Treatment and Daily Care Improve Oral Health
Dental decay, gum disease, and cavities can be prevented with routine dental visits and daily oral hygiene. Permanent damage to dentures and dental implants can also be prevented with these measures. Overcome dental anxiety by taking action steps to eliminate dental fear.
- Discuss Dental Anxiety Concerns: Dental professionals understand the fear of the dentist is real. The first step to overcoming dental fear is to understand common anxiety or sensory triggers. The sights, sounds, or smells of a dentist’s office, unpleasant dental work experiences, current oral health issues, and heightened sensitivity or pain can all trigger dental anxiety. Three Rivers Dental Group encourages every patient to discuss these issues with us prior to booking an appointment. We have developed an environment designed to comfort and ease dental anxiety, for worry-free appointments that deliver healthy, confident, smiles. Check out tips from Mouth Healthy for additional insight on managing dental anxiety.
- Oral Health can be Easy: Brushing teeth twice a day and flossing regularly can help reduce the risk of cavities and tooth decay. Mouth rinse and water picks can also work to wash away any bacterial residue a toothbrush and dental floss missed. Get back on track with daily oral hygiene. Take on-the-go dental products to clean teeth after eating, drink plenty of water throughout the day, and choose chewing gum with the ADA Seal of Acceptance to increase saliva production for a healthy mouth.
- Maintain Dental Health: Save your teeth from severe tooth decay. Visit the dentist every six months for a professional dental exam and cleaning to remove plaque or tartar buildup.
2. Sedation Dentistry Minimizes Pain and Calms Anxiety
The sights and smells of a dental office can bring back memories of past pain or trauma for some people. This can make it difficult for them to get the dental care they need. Some patients may even experience anxiety or fear during a routine dental exam or teeth cleaning. Sedation dentistry helps patients relax and comfortably experience dental visits without fear.
Patients with extreme anxiety or heightened sensitivity or pain, even during regular teeth cleaning, are good candidates for sedation dentistry. Our friendly, caring, and compassionate team specializes in eliminating dental fear and anxiety and improving oral health. We understand some patients may feel anxious about visiting the dentist. To help make our patients’ experience as comfortable as possible, we offer no fear sedation dentistry solutions for pleasant, anxiety-free dental visits.
3. Affordable Dental Services Deliver Confident Smiles
The cost of dental insurance has become a top reason why many Americans avoid visiting the dentist. USA Today reports nearly 1 in 3 Americans have not been to the dentist since before the coronavirus pandemic began. Many Americans were already avoiding dental care due to cost concerns even before the pandemic. Affordability is an important factor when it comes to quality dental care. Three Rivers Dental Group accepts most dental insurances and offers flexible payment plans to make dental care affordable for everyone.
Never fear a dental visit again. Request an appointment online or call 1 (855) 4 NO FEARS today to get back on track with oral health. We are conveniently located throughout the Pittsburgh area in Cranberry, Greentree, and Greensburg.