Dental anxiety, or fear of the dentist, is the most common reason for missed dental appointments and poor oral health. Over HALF of the adult population admits to feeling anxious about a dental visit. Dental anxiety and fear of the dentist are real concerns we take seriously in our offices in Truckee, CA, and Reno, NV. From the moment you walk through the front door to when you are sitting in the dentist’s chair, we want you to feel comfortable.
Dr. Jason Baldwin and his staff try to customize the appointment to your requirements and personal concerns. Sometimes, that may mean sitting down and discussing them on your first visit. We will help you to identify the cause of your fear or anxiety. Our office will also explore options for helping you feel relaxed and confident when visiting us.
Our Commitment To You:
We know there will be situations that just getting through the door for an appointment will be a momentous victory for some of our patients. We understand the value of that first step and we are committed to providing empathy and establishing a relationship created on trust. In case you have any questions or concerns about precisely how Dr. Baldwin can help you get over fear and anxiety, please call our dental office.
Common Dental-Related Fears
When you don’t visit the dentist, you may feel embarrassed about your dental health condition. Our office understands you may feel anxiety about visiting, even for routine cleanings. There are many other common fears that we can work with you to address to restore a healthy smile:
- Gagging
- Needles
- Losing control
- Novocain not working as expected
- Pain
- The dentist
- Drills or hand devices
- The unfamiliar
- Dental noises and smells
Our Tahoe area dentist’s office is designed with comfort and relaxation in mind. We have incorporated the latest dental technology, which reduces the need for noisy drills and sharp objects. Treatments that use lasers offer minimal bleeding and do not require sutures.
Medical or dental office settings usually feel like uncomfortable, sterile spaces. Patients can avoid the dentist because some offices do not feel welcoming.
We want our office to be a place we hope you will begin to look forward to visiting. The natural beauty surrounding us in Truckee, CA, is brought into the light, airy, and spa-like interior of our dentist office.
From comfy chairs to warm lighting and decor, we want our office to feel like home. Our office also provides additional treatments like aromatherapy to help relax patients.
Sedation Dentistry for Dental Anxiety
If you have a fear of the dentist in Truckee, CA, sedation is one of the most common ways to help you stay relaxed.
Dr. Baldwin offers sedation dentistry. Dental sedation will ensure that you feel comfortable and receive pain-free dental care.
We often recommend sedation if you have lengthy dental treatments. However, if you have dental fear and avoid the dentist, you may need sedation to get routine treatment.
Our conscious sedation options will enable you to be completely relaxed during your treatment. Dr. Baldwin will discuss your concerns during your consultation and recommend the appropriate option. In many cases, sedation can enable you to receive multiple treatments during one visit as part of a restorative or cosmetic treatment plan.
Sedation also offers many benefits for patients with these problems:
- Bad gag reflex
- Trouble sitting still
- Sensitivity to loud noises
How to Feel Comfortable in the Dental Chair
Multiple relaxation methods can ensure your comfort and an enjoyable dental visit. In addition to comfortable sedation, we may recommend:
An Office Tour
We may recommend an office tour if you haven’t visited our office before. We can help you schedule a quick tour of our office, where you can meet our hygienists, dentists, and front desk staff. Familiarizing yourself with our office will help you feel more comfortable with our team.
Using Relaxation Techniques
You can also calm yourself at the dentist’s office by using deep breathing and meditation techniques. Meditative imagery and breathing will help calm your nervous system. When you take deep breaths, you help slow down your heart rate and calm your nervous system.
Bringing Headphones
If you know you are sensitive to noise, you can bring your phone with earphones or headphones to listen to music. Music is a helpful distraction during visits. You can also wear noise-canceling headphones so you cannot hear our dental tools.
Aromatherapy
Our office uses aromatherapy to provide a pleasant, comforting smell that will not trigger bad memories of earlier experiences. We don’t want our office to have a clinical or medical smell. Pleasant smells will help you feel more relaxed in the dental chair.
Choosing a Signal
Our team will pause treatment if needed. Together, we can decide on a signal to make when or if you want us to stop treatment. Raising your hand or tapping on the chair are simple signals you can use during treatment.
Don’t feel discouraged if you haven’t been to the dentist in years but feel nervous because you have dental problems. Remember, we’re here to help you. We will not judge you if you’ve been avoiding the dentist. Our team understands that visiting a dental office can be a fear for patients of all ages.
We encourage open dentist and patient communication. If you have specific anxieties, please tell us so we can customize your care. We will help accommodate our office and find a treatment to fit your needs.
Get Dental Treatment Today
Are you looking for a Truckee, CA, Lake Tahoe, CA dentist, or Tahoe City, CA area dentist for your family? Dr. Baldwin welcomes new patients and works with people who have been suffering from poor oral health due to dental anxiety.
Treat your fear of the dentist in our Truckee, CA office. Contact us at (530) 206-0392 or use our online request form to schedule an appointment. If you have any questions or concerns, please let us know before or at your next visit. We will be happy to help.