We all have fears. Some are more common such as arachnophobia (fear of spiders), mysophobia (fear of germs) or claustrophobia (fear of small spaces). But in our world, we want to help you conquer dentophobia (the fear of visiting the dentist for dental care).

THE FEAR IS REAL

Researchers who have helped patients diagnosed with a fear of physicians say your anxiety isn’t just in your head. Studies show patients exhibit symptoms related to anxiety when they see images related to medical care.

The fear of going to a dentist has driven some people to DIY treatments. One survey found that 26% of people are using pliers to pull out their tooth and 12% tried using a string tied to a door handle to carry out an extraction. Some people have actually resorted to using glue in lieu of a filling or using gum to hold down a loose filling.

“DIY dental treatments are generally ineffective, unsafe and potentially dangerous,” said Dr. Jason Kboudi who heads up the practice at Advanced Smile Care.

HOW TO OVERCOME YOUR FEAR

You can reduce your dentophobia by taking command of your fears. Start by finding a dentist whom you can trust and then work hard to retain that dentist as your care provider. It will help you reduce anxiety by knowing that you’re seeing the same dentist for every treatment.

“We work especially hard at Advanced Smile Care to combat fears and to ensure you that you are in the care of a capable and trustworthy team.  We provide blankets to our patients to help them feel comfortable.  We can give you headphones, so that you can listen to music to drown out the noise of the drill. Whatever it takes to give you peace of mind, we want to do our best to accommodate your needs. As we like to say at Advanced Smile Care, it shouldn’t hurt to smile,” Dr. Kboudi said.

RELAXATION TECHNIQUES

It may also help you to relax before you visit your dentist by taking part in a relaxation technique. Experts recommend that you listen to calm music, meditate or do breathing exercises. It’s proven that relaxation techniques are helpful to manage anxiety and other health conditions associated with illness or medical procedures.

SEDATION DENTISTRY

Our practice offers various sedation options to reduce anxiety for those of you with dentophobia and to make any treatment easier for you. We offer 4 options for sedation dentistry: Nitrous Oxide (laughing gas), Oral Sedation, IV Sedation and General Anesthesia.  After meeting with you, our dentist will recommend the appropriate method based on your needs. The American Dental Association has strict guidelines when it comes to the use of sedation to help ensure safety during your treatment.  

Advanced Smile Care has a track record of more than 20 years of providing sedation dentistry. We started working in this field at a time when many dental practices in San Antonio did not offer these services. We have helped thousands of patients get over their fears of the dentist with our top-tier sedation expertise.  

Call us at (210) 366-3606 and get started

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