To ensure their teeth and gums remain healthy, people need
to keep up with regular trips to the dentist twice a year. However, there are
cases where anxiety, specifically regarding dental injections, deters individuals
from making that necessary appointment.
Whether it’s from bad past experiences
or a general fear of all needles, dental phobia is a real concern for many
people, and it may not be one with one simple solution. Luckily, if a dentist
is made aware of his or her patient's anxiety regarding dental injections, then
he or she can take extra precautions to pacify the patient, keeping potential uneasiness
to a minimum.
Fear of Dental
Injections
There are procedures – root canals, tooth extractions, and
fillings – where, if the dentist didn’t numb the area through one or two
injections of a local anesthetic, individuals would be in a lot of pain, thanks
to nerves within the gums and teeth sending pain signals into the brain.
Regardless of the pain one would experience without an
injection, it’s the possible discomfort or pain caused by dental needles
themselves that patients remember, and the fear they experience as a result
drives their concerns regarding dental visits. Injections can sometimes hurt,
but it's often not the dental needle patients feel.
Dentists will often dry an
injection site before applying a numbing gel and injecting the needle into the
patient’s gum. While the anesthetic is being injected, there is a stinging
sensation, which is likely what patients with dental phobia fear about
injections.
Effects of Dental
Injections
Dental injections are designed to numb entire sections in
the mouth, such as the right upper jaw or something smaller, for several hours
afterward. Patients might be unable to feel anything in the affected area or even
smile until the anesthetic wears off, and dentists typically advise their
patients to drink using a straw until then.
Preparing for Dental
Injections
For patients who are feeling anxious about a dental
injection, the best preparation for them is to let their dentist know, as he or
she can clarify the available options and help patients feel they are in
control. Some prefer not knowing the specifics of what will happen whereas others
prefer knowing what they should expect for each stage. Patients can also choose
a hand sign for when they need their dentist to stop briefly due to their discomfort
level.
When dentists are aware of their patient’s anxiety, they can
reduce the likelihood of an injection hurting, such as by chilling the
anesthetic, which can make an injection slightly less painful. As well, if the
vial with the anesthetic is warmed to body temperature, patients should feel no
pain upon receiving the injection. Dentists can also do the following:
·Wait one or two minutes while the numbing gel
takes effect before injecting.
·Use a narrower diameter needle—25, 27, or 30
gauge.
·Make sure the needle and holder are out of the
patient’s line of sight.
·Slowly push in the needle.
·Inject a minor amount of anesthetic while
pushing in the needle to start numbing the area it travels through.
If you are weary of having a dental procedure done due to
the high costs of dental care, consider a New Hampshire discount dental plan
like the Wellness Dental Plan. To find out how you can save as much as 20
percent off your dental bills, click here.
Copyright: diego_cervo
/ 123RF Stock Photo
