Dental Anxiety | A Message from Dr. Kelly O'Hara at LFD

Dr. Jon Isaacson and Dr. Kelly O'Hara from Lincoln Familiy Dentistry in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Dental Anxiety or Phobia

A message from Lincoln, NE dentist Dr. Kelly O’Hara

Patients with dental anxiety are often so fearful that they delay dental treatment for years. Their oral hygiene suffers as a result, leading to gum disease, tooth infection, and abscesses, or cavities. Through research, we now know that untreated inflammation in the mouth spreads throughout the body. Inflammation leaves patients more susceptible to several health issues. These include heart disease, uncontrolled diabetes, kidney disease, and low birth-weight babies in pregnant patients, among other things. It is important to address your oral and overall health by seeing a dentist regularly.

Learn more About Dental Anxiety

Anxiety Triggers

Negative past experiences with dental offices often trigger anxiety in patients. Triggers can be simple, like the sounds and smell inside a dental office, or from other things like getting numb, having a strong gag reflex, fearing instruments in the mouth, or fearing a general lack of control. Some patients aren’t sure what causes their anxiety. Others have a combination of things that trigger their fears. While things such as nitrous gas can be helpful, it’s important to know that not everyone is a great candidate. So, there are additional things we can do to ensure your comfort. Below are some of the things that Lincoln Family Dentistry offers to help manage your worries.

Minimally-Invasive Instruments

If you fear having dental instruments placed in your mouth, sometimes your gag reflex will react. Sometimes this can make it difficult to breathe. At our office, we use a device called an Isolite® that protects your tongue to prevent and control your gag reflex.

Caring Dental Team

If you have past experiences with unsympathetic dentists, you may fear they will ignore your concerns. I am a mother of 4, and I was a high school teacher before becoming a Lincoln dentist. I’ve carried my passion for teaching into dentistry. I will explain everything we do beforehand in an approachable way. I find that many patients understand visuals well, so I prefer to use an iPad with pictures to explain treatment.

Like students, patients with concerns often need a non-traditional approach or extra time to complete treatment. Find a dentist who hears to your concerns and who helps you manage them, and you can overcome your anxiety.

Intuitive Numbing Techniques

Image of our compassionate family dentist, Dr. Kelly O'Hara visiting with a patient about dental anxiety and dental phobia.

Many anxious patients worry about getting numb for a procedure. I use a topical anesthetic to comfort the area first, before administering anesthesia slowly and comfortably. We also have excellent distraction techniques, like massaging another area of your mouth while we administer anesthesia to minimize the pressure.

Comforting Environment and Patient Choices

Many patients say that being in a comfortable atmosphere surrounded by the caring people in our office makes them more at ease than they have felt with prior dental treatment. We offer a blanket and pillow, headphones and television. We also offer several breaks to help you feel comfortable. Ultimately, we want you to be in control of your dental treatment. We want to ensure your comfort while you are in our office. From the moment you walk into our office and meet our friendly patient scheduling coordinators to the moment you leave with a care package and post-care instructions, we’ll take good care of you. So whether you’re looking for toothache relief, need a dental cleaning, or are looking for a complete smile makeover, your comfort is our number one priority!

Sedation Dentistry

Some patients still find they need extra help feeling comfortable the day of treatment and those patients elect to do oral sedation dentistry. This is an excellent option for most anxious patients. Learn more about sedation dentistry at Lincoln Family Dentistry.