Scared of the Dentist? Don't Be!

I think it's human nature to be afraid of someone coming at you with a needle and drill while you're lying back in a chair, trapped with no way to escape. Well, maybe that's just the way I see a visit to the dentist. But the fact is, many of us are indeed scared of visiting the dentist, even when we know we should.

That's the primary reason so many people today have gingivitis and tooth loss. In this day and age, with such amazing advances in dentistry, there really is no reason to have bad teeth-unless you're born with bad teeth or get them knocked out during a hockey game. I'm speaking for personal experience when I say that a visit to the dentist used to cause me so much anxiety that I would make myself sick, literally sick. Then I found out that many dentists use sedation of different types.

For those of us who have a dental-phobia, sedation is sometimes a necessity to get the work done. And it shouldn't cause any embarrassment to ask for sedation either. If you're feeling apprehensive about seeing a dentist, do not under any circumstances be afraid to ask if they can administer sedation. Getting your teeth or gums taken care of is far more important than putting off a visit due to fear. The longer you wait, the worse the problem will be. It's a vicious cycle.

There are several types of sedation. The easiest, and cheapest, is probably a tranquilizer such as Lorazepam or any other type your dentist might prescribe. Popping a pill an hour or so before the visit can calm you down enough that you don't care what's going on. Of course, with any sedation, you'll need a ride home. Then there's nitrous oxide gas; laughing gas. I've had it and I've never laughed, so I'm not sure why they call it that. It didn't work too well for me, so I now get IV sedation. The only thing I feel is the prick of the IV needle and then I'm asleep. I wake up with a numb mouth and that's that.

I recently went to the dentist for a root canal, probably one of the most feared things in dentistry. I was in danger of losing my tooth, so I reluctantly went to the dentist. He sent me to an endodontist who, thank goodness, used IV sedation. Whew. The endodontist was wonderful, put me at ease right away and even though I have terrible veins, he managed to start the IV after only a couple of pokes. It was worth it. I woke up in no pain whatsoever. And, as a side benefit, he told me that he has an anti inflammatory in the anesthesia mix to help with swelling and pain. It worked because I didn't have any pain in my tooth, and I also had no joint pain from my arthritis! Yes, for two full days I was walking around without limping and could use my hands like I used to. I actually found myself wanting to have another root canal.

So basically, it will never benefit you to take the easy way out and just not visit the dentist. There are so many options available to make your visit pain free and stress free. Your teeth and your overall health is worth it.