If you have odontophobia or fear of dentists, you’re not alone. A study done in 2018 concluded that upwards of 60% of U.S. citizens suffer from it. It could be a fear that arose in childhood that stayed with you. Or it could be a lingering bad experience you had during your adult life.

Fear of dentists often leads to poor dental health because you don’t want to anywhere near a dental office. This is not only detrimental to your oral health but it’s also detrimental to your overall wellness. Bad dental hygiene can cause tartar buildup that leads to heart issues among other things.

This is all very avoidable. Modern dentistry provides many solutions that eliminate pain almost entirely, and there are modern methods to relax you while you’re in the dentist’s chair. Better oral health can be yours through sedation dentistry.

Sedation dentistry utilizes mild medications to alleviate stress and anxiety during your procedure. There are many options including:

•       Minimal sedation that induces relaxation while the patient remains awake.
•       Moderate sedation in which the patient may slur words or feel a little “out of it.”
•       Deep sedation where the patient is on the edge of consciousness.
•       General anesthesia where you are asleep throughout the entire procedure.

Sedation may be a pill, nitrous oxide or laughing gas, IV, or deep sedation for general anesthesia.

The most likely candidates for sedation dentistry are patients who have low pain tolerance, are very fidgety, have unusually sensitive teeth or a trigger gag reflex, or patients who have a great many procedures ahead to repair damage to the teeth.

Sedation dentistry may be the solution for you if you fall into one of these categories. For more information on how it might be the right solution for you, contact the team at Mountain Town Dental and schedule a consultation.