Understanding Dental Anxiety

Does your child have an intense fear of clinical or dental settings? Dental anxiety and phobias are quite common among children in the United States. There are ways to help ease phobia and anxiety during treatments. Our pediatric dentistry practice offers a few options for managing dental anxiety. Administered by our kids dentist, IV sedation, oral sedation, or the use of nitrous oxide can greatly improve our young patients’ experiences at our office. Following is helpful information on the types of sedation and their benefits.
 

Dental Fears and Phobias

Anxiety itself is the result of a chemical reaction in the brain that produces feelings of panic, excessive worry, and intense fear. When a person experiences anxiety related to certain situations or events, it is a phobia. Dental fears and phobias can worsen over time, sometimes leading to complete avoidance of dental treatment in adulthood. Since childhood memories are very important to establishing a proactive approach to one’s health, we offer solutions to help control anxiety and develop positive experiences for our patients.
 

Types of Sedation

Sedation can be delivered by a few different methods. The most common being nitrous oxide gas, which is commonly called “laughing gas.” Inhaled through a soft nasal mask, nitrous oxide safely and quickly produces a calming effect that also works as a mild anesthetic. Nitrous oxide’s effects come on and wear off quickly.

Stronger sedating methods might be used for moderate to severe anxiety or when a complex procedure is performed by our kids dentist. IV sedation involves administering prescription medication intravenously. When IV sedation is necessary, a patient’s vitals are monitored very closely and the dosage can be adjusted throughout treatment when applicable. This form of sedation helps children stay still during treatment and prevents them from having negative memories associated with tools used during procedures. Sedation administered through oral tablets is an option for controlling anxiety as well.

To learn more about our pediatric dentistry services, call us today to reserve a consultation at Fort Worth Children’s Dentistry.