Can Therapy Cure Dentist Fear?

Posted by: Dr. Sirakian Categories: Uncategorized

For some people, fear of the dentist can be debilitating enough to prevent them from seeking the routine or even emergency care they need. As a result, these people are often have poor oral health, as their lack of treatment snowballs into larger issues.

Now there may be a new answer. Used for years to treat depression, phobias, and anxiety disorders of various kinds, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is gaining popularity in treating dental anxiety. CBT is generally a short-term therapy, lasting between 6 and 10 sessions.

This is supported by a recent study in the British Dental Journal evaluated 130 patients, and three-fourths of the patients surveyed were determined to have a true dental phobia, as defined by the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS).

After all dental-phobic patients completed their courses of CBT, 79% were able to have dental treatment without sedation, while 6% were able to complete treatment with sedation. The average number of therapy sessions required before receiving dental care was five.

This is big news for anyone with a crippling fear of the dentist. While overcoming your phobia may seem hopeless, there are treatment options that can change the way you view the dentist’s office. The earlier you overcome the fear, the sooner you are able to have a healthier smile.

Source

What You Need to Know About Grillz

Dental grills (also known as “grillz”) might draw attention to your teeth and your smile, but they are actually terrible for your teeth. If you have ever seen a music video featuring someone wearing grills, then you are likely looking at dental grills that are made from gold, silver, or another precious metal. While expensive […]

Xerostomia: What is it, and how do I fix it?

It’s a feeling we’ve all experienced at some point or another: a parched, gritty, can’t-get-water-fast-enough sensation that’s unpleasant at best and dangerous at worst. Xerostomia, or dry mouth, is a medical condition that we tend to write off as mere dehydration. While taking a big gulp of water can help in the short-term, if your […]

Dentistry: Not Just for Humans!

If you have a pet at home, you may have taken them for a dental checkup. That’s right, animals—especially pets and zoo animals—often need dental care. Periodontal disease is one of the biggest reasons animals lose teeth. This is particularly true for pets and zoo animals in captive who decidedly live longer than they would […]

What Other Surgeries Can an Endodontist Perform?

While endodontists are known as specialists in root canal therapy, they actually specialize in saving teeth by working with the inside of the tooth. Endodontists can do a variety of surgeries to save your natural tooth. One of these surgeries is called an apicoectomy. An apicoectomy is needed when conventional root canal treatment cannot treat […]

The Impact of Pacifier Use on Your Baby’s Teeth

There are a few benefits as to why pacifiers should be given to babies. Research has shown that pacifiers can actually help reduce incidences of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). Babies who suck on pacifiers during sleep don’t fall into as deep a sleep as those who don’t suck on pacifiers. This means that if […]