There’s a date on your calendar that looms ominously, and dread is the only way to describe how you feel about this upcoming appointment. If that appointment is with us — your McLean Aura Dentistry team — we hear you loud and clear.
At McLean Aura Dentistry, Dr. Negar Tehran and Dr. Chang Yi understand that fear of dental care, or dentophobia, is very real and common. In fact, more than one-third of people (36%) in the United States report some degree of anxiety when it comes to visiting the dentist.
We take the word care very seriously, which is why we offer sedation dentistry. So, if you’re among the millions who are less than thrilled to visit the dentist, read on to explore how we can help you overcome this obstacle.
As much as we make every effort to make you comfortable during your visits with us, we recognize that dental anxiety is tricky.
There are many reasons why people have heightened anxiety when it comes to dental work — the noises, the drilling, and everything else that happens inside your mouth is inside your head, which means your senses are on high alert.
Adding to this, nerves in your mouth can be ultra-sensitive, and you may have experienced mouth pain before, and you’d rather not experience it again.
Some people have sensitive gag reflexes, or they've had bad experiences with dentistry.
Whatever the reason, dentophobia is very real, and we’re not here to tell you to just “get over” your fear. Instead, we want to do what we can to ease this fear.
If you have anxiety about your dental care, please let us know, and we can help smooth the way toward healthy teeth and gums through sedation dentistry. After discussing your anxiety level, we prescribe an oral medication that you can take before you arrive — usually about one hour.
This will be an anti-anxiety medication that will relax you and put you at ease. It might also make you sleepy or a little “out of it,” so you will need someone to drive you to your appointment and return you home afterward.
Once you arrive, your anxiety should be in check, and we will get straight to work to improve your dental health. If you experience any anxiety or discomfort at any point during your visit, all you need to do is let us know, and we can find ways to work with you.
Ultimately, we don’t want your anxiety and fear to prevent you from getting critical care for your oral health. We can surmount these hurdles through sedation dentistry, giving you something to finally smile about when you hear the word “dentist.”
If you have more questions about sedation dentistry or dental anxiety, please contact our office in McLean, Virginia, at 703-429-0770 to schedule a consultation or request an appointment online.
