Search Results for: blog dentist anxiety

Not the Dentist!

My son is three and a half and terrified of his first dentist trip. He loves to brush his teeth, but if you even mention the dentist he comes unglued. This isn’t uncommon, most kids aren’t thrilled about having to go to the dentist. Unfortunately, this is one of the necessary evils of childhood. Seeing the dentist is crucial to the health of your child’s teeth. It may help ease some of the anxiety if you have a pretend visit first. All you need is a toothbrush and a mirror. Count your child’s teeth with them and let them look … Continue reading →

Dentists Want Anesthesia For Special Needs Patients Covered

Posted on by

Visiting the dentist can be an intimidating experience for children, and also for adults, whether or not the person has a special need. Some dentists have noticed that it is very difficult to treat patients who have special needs. They are asking insurers to cover the costs of using anesthesia when these patients visit the dentist. A group of dentists in Pennsylvania are asking for something rather unusual, and a bit controversial. They want a state mandate to require all health insurance companies to cover the entire cost of using general anesthesia for a specific group of patients. The dentists … Continue reading →

Are You Afraid of the Big, Bad Dentist?

Posted on by

If you get a little anxious thinking about going to the dentist, you’re not alone. Dental phobia keeps a lot of people from getting the care they need for their pearly whites. There are a lot of different facets to dental phobia. Some of the most common fears involving the dentist’s office include: Embarassment — “I haven’t been to the dentist’s office in years, and my teeth are going to be horrible. The dentist is going to lecture me about what a failure I am.” Pain — “It’s going to hurt when they clean my teeth. I’ll have cavities that … Continue reading →

Dentist Anxiety

There’s been a lot of talk in my life about dentists lately… namely because a coworker at the cats-only boarding facility where I have a part time job just had a heck of a time having one of her wisdom teeth removed. My coworker’s rough time made me think of the rough time Heather had with her wisdom teeth: Dental Horror Story: The Wisdom in Teeth The Horror of Dental Insurance and Teeth Dental Horror Story: Going Back to School Dental Horror Story: The Happily Ever After Part I was lucky that I had a very easy time of it … Continue reading →

Dental Care in Children

With February being National Children’s Dental Health Month I thought it would be a good opportunity to discuss teeth care in children. Many children do not like to brush their teeth. It is a nuisance to them and cuts in to their time that they could use on other more important issues to them, such as playing. Establishing some basic rules early on in life when they are very small will minimize the negative reaction that you may get when you remind them to go and brush their teeth. If teeth brushing is a part of their daily routine from … Continue reading →

Entertaining Toddlers

Toddlers have a very short attention span. In order to keep them entertained, there are many tricks that parents have learned to make their lives easier. This includes what to have in the car to entertain children during heavy traffic and what to have to lessen their anxiety in the waiting room. Let’s look at some ideas for entertaining toddlers. Busy Bag for Cars A busy bag for toddlers will come in handy when you get stuck in traffic or have to wait in the dentist or doctor’s office. Filled with special goodies that your child doesn’t get to play … Continue reading →

Do You Floss?

Posted on by

Flossing is good for your pearly whites… but a lot of people don’t bother unless there’s something stuck. Why is flossing important, anyway? Dental floss is the best way to get plaque out from between the teeth and right at the gumline. Since a lot of periodontal disease tends to start at the gums, flossing is a good way to prevent problems. Brushing alone doesn’t always clear all the plaque. Here’s the way to do it, according to the American Dental Hygienists’ Association: Get about a foot and a half (18 inches) of floss. No, you don’t need to measure … Continue reading →

Add a Little Nature to Brighten Your Home and Your Mood

When your home is dark and gloomy then chances are that your mood is the same way. Our homes are reflections of ourselves, and then often can determine just how we feel. That is why it is so important to add things to our home that can brighten it up and add to a wonderful sense of comfort and joy. One of the things that can really brighten a home is a commitment to going back to nature. This can be done simply. Treat yourself to some beautiful brightly colored flowers. There has been some research showing that flowers can … Continue reading →

Cheek Bites!

A minor health concern, but a painful one: you’re in the middle of a delicious meal when you chomp down on the inside of your cheek instead of your food! Definitely not a life-threatening injury… but definitely annoying. There are really only two things you can do for a cheek bite: ease the pain and keep things clean to prevent infection. Rinse your mouth out as soon as possible. Plain, clean water works just fine, but if you’re worried about infection you can mix two percent hydrogen peroxide equally with water. If you do go the peroxide route, rinse only … Continue reading →

Do Children Grind Their Teeth?

Teeth grinding isn’t just an adult problem! As much as a third of all children grind their teeth at certain points in their lives. When do children grind their teeth? Most grinding happens at two points in development: when the baby teeth first emerge and when the permanent (adult) teeth come in. The majority of children will stop grinding their teeth once the baby teeth and adult teeth have come in more fully. Just like adults, children tend to grind their teeth during sleep, rather than when awake. And just like adults, children can experience jaw pain, headaches, wear on … Continue reading →