We know that fear of the dentist is real.
How do we know this? We see people in our office every day who have dental fear.
But we also know this is only a fraction of people who are afraid of the dentist in Monroe, LA, and the surrounding area.
If you are one of those people who hasn’t been to the dentist in years, maybe even decades, please give us a call or stop by the Bayou Dental Group office.
Before you make an appointment, take some time to meet our staff. Learn about the comfort options we offer to all of our patients.
And ask us about oral conscious sedation dentistry. It may be just what you need to come back to the dentist.
Why We Offer Sedation
We offer dental sedation because we want everyone who comes to our office to receive quality dental care.
Some people need a little help making that happen, and that is perfectly OK. It’s a more common issue than you may realize.
While estimates vary, by some accounts, between 5 and 8 percent of Americans avoid the dentist out of fear, and 20 percent go only when it is absolutely necessary (such as a dental emergency).
The problem with that is that if you only go when you have an emergency, then you have a greater chance of experiencing such an emergency. Routine care will help you maintain your oral health and reduce your risk of more serious complications.
But you already know this. That’s not the reason you stay away from the dentist.
You stay away because it makes you anxious.
We believe we can help you learn to manage that anxiety just as we’ve helped many other patients. We are on your side.
How Oral Sedation Helps You
Oral conscious sedation is a safe and effective technique that can be used to help you get through your treatment.
With oral sedation, you will take a pill before your treatment begins. We will wait for the medication to take effect before we start your procedure.
Here are few ways it can help:
◆ Sedation will keep you relaxed.
One of the problems with dental anxiety is that it makes you tense. That can come out in a number of ways, and it can trigger a “fight or flight” feeling in you.
When that happens your heart may start racing, you may start sweating, and you may feel stressed. With oral sedation, you won’t experience those effects.
◆ Sedation will keep you from gagging.
For people who have a sensitive gag reflex, this may be the cause of your dental anxiety. When you are sedated, you are much less likely to react to the necessary work of examining and cleaning the inside of your mouth.
◆ Sedation will keep you from feeling pain.
One of biggest benefits of sedation is that it has an anesthetic quality. We offer local anesthetic for many procedures because we don’t want any of our patients to feel pain. But sedation offers a more general pain relieving sensation, which makes that one less thing to worry about.
◆ Sedation will take your mind off your procedure.
Truth be told, many patients who undergo sedation have no memory of their procedure. The medication will make you feel drowsy, and you may even fall asleep completely.
You may not remember your treatment, but you will get the same benefit.
Be aware that the effects of oral sedation will last for some time after you leave our office. You must make arrangements for a family member or friend to take you home, and you likely will want to rest for a while once you get there.
How Oral Sedation Helps Us
We want all our patients to feel calm and relaxed. When someone is nervous, stressed, or tense, it can be a distraction for the dentist or hygienist.
It’s easier for us to focus on providing the care that you need when you are relaxed.
We also know that sedation may be the difference between you getting dental care and staying away. We want to help you keep your mouth as healthy as possible.
And last, but not least, we believe sedation can help us build a relationship. We believe you will see that routine dental care is good for your overall health if you make it part of your life.
It Starts With A Conversation
While we look forward to the day when you make your first appointment, we want to start with a conversation. You can call Bayou Dental Group in Monroe, LA at 318-323-9303 or fill out our online contact form to learn more about how we can work with you to manage your dental anxiety.