Don’t Be Nervous – We Understand Your Fear!

We understand that visiting the dentist is never going to be at the top of your ‘things to do’ list!

It’s what most of us call a ‘necessary evil’ – something that you need to do to make sure you keep your teeth and mouth in tip top healthy condition.

But for some of our patients it’s more than apprehension or some discomfort. It can be hugely traumatic. But dental phobia or anxiety is nothing to be ashamed of. And if you do struggle don’t worry – you are not alone! In fact, you are part of the 36 per cent of the population in the US who also suffer from dental anxiety. You might even be part of the 12 per cent who suffer from severe dental phobia.

We understand your fear

We here at Bonaventure Dental Care don’t take your trepidation, fear, anxiety, or phobia lightly. We know this could stem from any number of issues whether it’s past trauma or negative experiences, embarrassment about dental hygiene or the poor health of your teeth, a fear of needles, injections or sedation or a fear of pain, choking or blood.

We have seen anxious patients with various symptoms such as dizziness, chills, sweating, nausea, trembling, upset stomachs or heart palpitations.

The problem is, the more you postpone your dental visits the worse the fear and anxiety can become. In addition, this can lead to deterioration in the health of your teeth and often result in a greater necessity for emergency or more complicated treatment.

This is called the ‘vicious cycle of dental anxiety.’

So how can we help?

At Bonaventure Dental Care we believe you should get the best possible dental care, and that involves ensuring you feel settled and in control at each level of your treatment.

So, before your treatment begins our dentist will chat with you to find out how you are feeling and what concerns you may have. We will discuss all the treatment options and steps with you so you are totally aware of what will happen, why and when.

Our team is experienced and highly skilled in recognizing anxious patients and we are trained in helping you overcome those fears and will only move at a pace that is comfortable for you.

Whatever the cause of your dental anxiety, our compassionate dental team here in Baton Rouge will take good care of your dental and emotional health. We strive to offer superior care to our patients while discovering methods to help them relax during any treatment process and encourage them to seek necessary dental care in the future.

Here are 10 useful tips if you are an anxious patient:

1. Bring a friend or family member with you to the dental office to offer support.
2. Visit the dentist during our quieter times, such as early in the morning. This can help limit the impact of noise from other treatment rooms.
3. Wear something comfortable and that you feel confident in.
4. Bring an object such as a stress ball or stuffed toy.
5. Make a playlist of music you like and bring it with you.
6. Deep and even breathing will help you focus and relax.
7. Come up with a signal that tells the dentist to stop if you need a break during treatment.
8. Start off with treatment in short bursts until you feel more comfortable.
9. Ask us about taking breaks during treatment.
10. Talk to us if you are interested in sedation.

Our dentists Justin Bonaventure and Daniel Megison will always listen to your concerns which will help us determine the best dental anxiety solution to help you look forward to your visit! For further information visit our page here or contact us directly.  We are always happy to help.