The year 2020 was quite a doozy, wasn’t it? With the coronavirus pandemic sweeping the globe, we experienced unprecedented change in our lives. From government-mandated shutdowns to toilet paper shortages to millions of Americans working from home, many of us are looking ahead to 2021 and hoping for more silver linings. Almost 75% of American adults will be making resolutions for the new year. If you are one of them, why not make 2021 the year you love going to the dentist?
You can love going to the dentist.
We all know that going to the dentist is an important habit to develop, despite any dental anxiety that we might feel. Practicing routine visits to the dentist at least twice a year can provide the following benefits:
- Prevention of future oral health or hygiene issues.
- Saving your teeth from decay.
- Education on proper oral hygiene.
- Treatment for halitosis (bad breath).
- Help with related problems, such as headaches or tooth grinding.
- Peace of mind.
- Getting a happy and healthy smile.
If you don’t currently love going to the dentist, know that this doesn’t have to be your experience. The dentists at Ada Smile Place are well-versed in making our patients comfortable. Spending time with the Ada Smile Place staff and seeing the differences for yourself can make dental anxiety a thing of the past.
5 tips for making this year the year you love going to the dentist.
If you are ready to love going to the dentist and plan to make this one of your 2021 new year’s resolutions, you’ll enjoy reading this list of what we do to make your dental experience a happy one.
1.Talk to Ada Smile Place about your whole health.
One of the reasons people have dental anxiety is their past negative experience at the dentist. Perhaps they left the dental office in pain, Or they just felt like a number during their visit, and the dentist didn’t take the time to get to know them. For these reasons and more, it is essential to find a dental practice that focuses on more than just teeth. When you work with a whole-health dental team, you’ll see the difference right away.
The Ada Smile Place team will take time to get to know you. So, it is essential to know what to expect if you are a new patient at ADA Smile Place. You’ll receive quality care from a welcoming, compassionate team, and your dentist will take the time to speak with you directly. We’ll ask questions about your overall health so that we can provide you with the best dental treatment possible.
2. Ask Ada Smile Place about comfort dentistry.
If you have experienced dental anxiety that kept you from maintaining routine visits to the dentist, we encourage you to tell us about it. The more information we have upfront about your concerns and past dental experiences, the more we can make your visit more comfortable.
At Ada Smile Place, we pride ourselves on providing comfort dentistry to our patients. This means that from the moment you walk through our door you will experience a relaxed and positive atmosphere. You will be listened to and treated as an individual by our staff, and every treatment plan will take into account your unique situation and needs.
3. Consider the benefits of modern dental technology and sedation dentistry.
In extreme cases of dental anxiety, we may prescribe oral anxiety-relieving medications to help you relax. In many cases, a small, single-dose taken an hour before your appointment will be enough to put you at ease. In other cases, we may suggest taking the route of oral conscious sedation (OCS). Using this modern dental technology method, we combine oral medication with nitrous oxide to enable the right level of relaxation during your dental visit.
When patients select OCS, it often feels like the dental appointment was over in just 10 minutes or less. OCS is an excellent option for dental anxiety patients and can also be used for patients who need multiple dental treatments and want it taken care of in just one appointment. The dentists at Ada Smile Place will conduct a thorough evaluation of your medical history and current medications before determining if you are a candidate for sedation dentistry.
4. Practice proper oral hygiene at home.
Whether you experience dental anxiety or not, your mouth is full of bacteria. Though this bacteria is mostly harmless, it is vital to remember that your mouth serves as the entryway to your digestive and respiratory tract. When we fail to exercise proper oral hygiene and dental care at home, this bacteria can cause disease as it spreads throughout the body.
Home-based oral hygiene, however, does not serve as a substitute for going to the dentist. So, if you want to make 2021 the year that you love going to the dentist, you will want to ensure that you maintain (or create) a good dental hygiene program at home. By practicing daily brushing and flossing and paying attention to your mouth’s condition, you can make your dentist’s job a bit easier. And, it may mean a shorter visit to the dentist the next time you go.
5. Practice relaxation techniques before and during your dental visit.
Many of our patients benefit from breathing exercises that they do before and during their dental visit. Deep breathing exercises provide a great way to help relax the tension you may feel in your muscles. To help lessen your dental anxiety:
- Try counting your breaths.
- Inhale slowly and exhale for an equal number of counts.
- Repeat the process five times while you wait for your dental appointment and again while you are in the dental chair.
Another great way to reduce your dental anxiety is to focus on relaxing your muscles in one part of your body at a time. Begin with your head, and then move your focus down to your toes. Start with the part of your body that makes the most sense for you; however, you can start at your toes and work backward if you prefer.
Let Ada Smile Place help make 2021 the year you love going to the dentist.
If you have been avoiding a visit to the family dentist because of dental anxiety, let 2021 be the year where you turn it all around. With our approach to comfort dentistry and sedation dentistry using the oral conscious sedation method, we can help make your visit to our office a breeze. Contact us today with any questions you might have or request an appointment online.
The Ada Smile Place team looks forward to seeing you and partnering with you on your whole health. With our help, 2021 will be the year you love going to the dentist.
