How to overcome the fear of the dentist?

A first step to overcome the fear of the dentist is to talk about it in detail with him. You should try to find out what exactly causes the fear and tell the dentist your fears and worries. Many dentists today have adapted to anxiety patients and some have additional training.

By means of a first consultation a first impression of the doctor and the practice can be obtained. Often the dentist suggests different possibilities to make the treatment pleasant. Many patients are afraid of being completely at the dentist’s mercy and losing control.

In this case, a show of hands can be arranged with the dentist and treatment can be interrupted as soon as the patient feels unwell. Relaxation techniques can also be studied in advance. Music can also help patients who are very sensitive to noise to survive the treatment. In general, it is always very helpful to formulate one’s own fears and worries and have the dentist explain the treatment steps in detail.If the anxiety lies mainly in feared pain during the treatment, the doctor can inform about possible sedatives.

What tranquilizers are available?

There are numerous tranquilizers available to make it easier for anxious patients to visit the dentist. There is a kind of indifference towards the actually dreaded treatment. The sedatives can be injected orally in tablet or drop form or intravenously by the dentist.

Depending on the dose, the effect can vary between light sedation and a kind of twilight sleep. It is very important that the application of the sedatives is dosed correctly and individually for the patient. The most commonly used sedatives contain an active substance from the benzodiazepine group.

These include Valium, for example. The effect of the sedative usually lasts several hours. For this reason, patients must be collected by an accompanying person after treatment.

Another possibility for sedation is the so-called nitrous oxide analgesia. A mixture of oxygen and nitrous oxide (laughing gas) is administered to the patient through a small nasal mask. Due to the nitrous oxide, the patient becomes calmer and gains a feeling of lightness and indifference. At the same time, the sensation of pain is reduced and the patient usually no longer feels the placement of an anesthetic injection.