Hi everyone,

Many people fear going to the dentist. It’s estimated that anywhere from 5 to 10 percent of the adult U.S. population experiences severe dental anxiety or dental fear. Overall, nearly 75 percent of people report feeling anxiety before a dental appointment or procedure. Everyone has a different reason for their fear. Often, resolution is as easy as a patient understanding why they feel this way and addressing those fears.

fear

Sometimes the reason for their fears might be the noise and scary-looking equipment. Other times it’s simply the fear of the unknown. If a particular procedure isn’t explained to a patient in a way they can understand, it’s perfectly natural for them to be anxious. Many folks experience dental fear because of a previously bad experience that has left an indelible impression; an impression so traumatic that it’s hard for them to shake it off.

Besides having a bad dental experience directly, indirect associations can have an effect as well. For instance, a family member or a friend may have had a traumatic dental experience and their fear and anxiety is indirectly transferred to another family member or friend. And of course negative portrayals of dentists and dental procedures in the media can bring about subtle fearful associations. Think Marathon Man and the dentist Dr. Christian Szell, the Nazi war criminal who tortures the protagonist played by Dustin Hoffman. [Read more…]

Hi Everyone!

National health studies estimate that up to 57% of people in the U.S. don’t see a dentist regularly. The Washington Department of Health states that 164 million hours of work are lost each year in the U.S. due to dental disease. These lost wages and the overall effect on the nation’s economy runs into the billions of dollars. Additionally, according to a study by Western Reserve University, 51 million school days are lost by students due to tooth/oral pain.

I have have been highly trained to make adult oral sedation dentistry treatment available at my office to help treat the estimated 30% of the population who avoids dental care due to fear. Most of these people can be safely and effectively treated with the assistance of oral sedatives. Patients who were once anxious and fearful — and put off having their dental work completed — can receive their dental care while they are totally relaxed and comfortable.

Oral sedation dentistry can help reduce the mounting economic costs and repercussions of untreated dental disease. It enables patients to overcome their dental fear and allows them to receive care in the most comfortable and efficient way possible. Additionally, oral sedation enables me to perform more dentistry in a single visit, meaning fearful patients don’t have to return as many times to complete their treatment, saving time, money, and anxiety!

Feel free to contact me for more information if you or someone you know is staying away from the dentist due to fear or anxiety. There is a growing number of adults who have conquered their dental fears through the calming and relaxing effects of oral sedation dentistry, and we are ready and able to help!

Until next time,

Mark W Langberg, DDS, MAGD

Sedation Dentistry Can Break the Cycle of Fear

164 Million hours of work lost in US due to dental disease