Visit Our General Dentist Office for a Positive Dental Experience

As a general dentist, one of the things we get to do is talk about things many other dentists will avoid. Today, we want to talk about something that is a common challenge, which your general dentist can help you to overcome: fear! Fear of the dentist is one of the most common phobias in the world, and it is as widespread as the science of general dentistry itself. In every place there is a general dentist office, you will find people who are afraid of it. Right here in America, we have a huge population of people who know they should visit the dentist to avoid problems with their teeth, but are too stressed out by the idea to do so. Twenty-six percent of people in a recent study fell into this category of being too afraid to get the treatment they needed and would only go in to see a general dentist if they were facing an emergency situation. In addition to this, there are the people who do visit the dentist, but are also plagued by anxiety. Between 9 percent and 20 percent of dental patients admit to having mild to severe anxiety about visiting their dentist. Many of these patients are worried because of the length of time since their last visit and not knowing what condition we might find their teeth in, or what remedies might be in order to bring their teeth back to perfect condition.

How a general dentist can help you fight your dental fears

All of these fears are perfectly normal and something that a general dentist deals with on a daily basis. We have discovered that the best way to fight fear is to give you tools to understand the fear and come up with ways to overcome them. Three things that work well to help take away concerns you may have about a dentist visit are as follows. First, you need to identify what exactly it is that you are afraid of. When you know what you are afraid of, it takes away the overbearing concern of the dentist office. Some people are afraid of needles, others have a fear that the visit will cause them pain, and still others are reluctant to give up control as they may have to do in a dental chair. Once we isolate a fear, we can work with or around it to make sure you are comfortable. Second, you should work with us to educate yourself about the things we do, the vast lengths we go through to ensure your safety and comfort, and understand the procedures and tools from a layman's perspective. A general dentist is happy to explain and educate because we know that the more you know, the less likely you are to be afraid. Finally, and this is the tough one for many, we ask our patients to get into the habit of seeing the general dentist at least two times each year for regularly scheduled examinations and cleanings. This builds up a level of familiarity, which also takes away fear and creates a relationship of trust between you and your dentist that we can build on should you need something more intense than plaque removal.

Orthodontics  >  Cosmetic Dentistry

Common Dental Myths Busted by Our Dentist Office

As a local dentist office, we are asked many questions about oral health. It is normal for people to come in with a health condition that needs to be addressed and was brought on by misinformation. Myths tend to circulate from time to time and cause confusion when they do. Some have been around for generations, and as a local dentist, we are always trying to combat them so our patients can be educated and informed. We encourage you to ask questions when you visit our dental office so we can shed light on any oral health issues that you are dealing with or curious about. In the meantime, here are a few common myths and the truth about oral health.

Myth #1: Flossing is not important.

The Truth – In our dentist office, we stress the importance of flossing because it is the best way to fight gum disease on a daily basis. When you eat, food particles can become trapped in between your teeth and plaque can start to form. Plaque is the sticky substance that develops when the bacteria in your mouth colonize on your teeth. Brushing will remove most of it, but flossing gets into the places where your toothbrush cannot. The problem is that if you do not floss, the plaque can become trapped, and you could develop gum disease. If you do not like to use traditional floss, buy a flossing tool at the store and use it once a day to improve your oral health.

Myth #2: Using a hard toothbrush will give me the best clean.

The Truth – You are actually more likely to get the best possible clean with an electric or battery-operated toothbrush. However, if you do not have one, we recommend that you use a soft toothbrush instead. We can teach you how to use it in our dentist office, so you get the best possible clean without irritating your teeth, something that can happen with a hard toothbrush.

Myth #3: Baby teeth do not matter.

The Truth – This is one of the most dangerous myths because it leads many parents to neglect the health of their children's teeth. The truth is that baby teeth can experience decay just like adult teeth, making it important to brush them twice a day and visit a dentist for annual teeth cleanings. Baby teeth need to remain in place until the adult teeth are ready to come in, because they hold a space for the permanent adult teeth to go, as well as make it possible to develop clear speech patterns and smile boldly.

Myth #3: Root canals are painful.

The Truth – When you visit our dental office, we can remove the infection from your tooth using a root canal. This is a standard procedure we perform on a regular basis, and we do so without causing patients any discomfort. We can provide you with medication so you do not feel anything other than slight pressure. Afterward, you will feel significantly better than before your root canal.

Family Dentistry  >  General Dentist