There are multiple reasons that people experience dental anxiety or fear. However, a fear of dentists should not keep you from getting the dental treatment that you need. Nowadays, dentists use sedation dentistry to help lessen the stress associated with dental phobias. Here are two types of sedation that could be used:

Hypnosis

Dentists who have been trained to administer hypnosis may use a trance to help you overcome dental anxiety. The hypnotic state allows your reactions to dental encounters to be retrained. Fear is usually generated by the subconscious mind. The discomfort that you experience when you visit the dentist may be due to deep beliefs that were formed during your childhood. You may have heard stories of painful dental procedures or experienced a dental extraction that was uncomfortable.

To help induce a hypnotic state, your dentist may ask you to focus on your breathing. Slow, deep breaths help alleviate stress and promote relaxation. Your dentist may also ask you to focus on a particular object, such as the light above you or a spot on the ceiling.

Once you are relaxed, your dentist may ask you close your eyes and count backwards from 10. With each count, you should go deeper into a suggestible state. At the end of your count, the dentist may ask you to repeat affirmations that you are no longer fearful of the dentist or dental procedures. In addition, he or she may ask you to see yourself relaxed as you lie in the dental chair. Before releasing you from your appointment, your dentist will bring you out of your hypnotic state.

Oral Medication

Some dentists prescribe oral medication, such as Valium, to be taken before your dental appointment. The oral medications prescribed often belong to a group of drugs called benzodiazepines, which work by binding to brain receptors that calm the portions of the brain that initiate fear.

The drugs usually cause some degree of sleepiness and memory loss. Low doses of benzodiazepines may lessen your anxiety without excessive drowsiness. However, higher doses will make you sleepy.  Although the medication makes it easier for you to relax, you will likely be unable to drive safely after taking it.

If you are nervous about going to the dentist, your dentist may use sedation dentistry to help make you more comfortable during your visit. Contact a dentist like Quality Dental Care L.L.C. who specializes in sedation dentistry to see how you can have a more relaxed experience during your next appointment.

Share