Conquering Your Fear of the Dentist. Part I of a Two-Part Series

Dental anxiety is quite common and prevents some otherwise intelligent, rational people from routinely getting dental care and optimizing and maintaining their dental health. Most dental phobics have experienced a high degree of discomfort at one time or another with either an unskilled or uncaring dentist. Unfortunately, if the experience is unpleasant enough, these folks will seek help only if what, often times begins as a minor condition, progresses to a significant one and the pain becomes unbearable.  

So how do you conquer your fear of the dentist? There are two basic things you can start with to get back into the dental chair. No. 1, the most important step is to find the right dentist. A good dentist for the dental phobic is patient, competent, endeavors to make all visits pain-free, genuinely cares about his patients, and has the bedside manner to nurture his patients through their past trauma.

Begin by polling your friends and family about their dentists. Tell them your concerns and, even if they don’t share them, ask them how they think their dentist would handle someone like yourself.

After you’ve narrowed down a list of three to five candidates, try to make appointments simply to meet them. Ask the dentist about his practice, philosophy, the steps he takes to alleviate pain and anxiety. Don’t be intimidated. You’re the consumer and there are other dentists.

If a dentist won’t agree solely to meet, which could be the case and doesn’t necessarily mean that he’s not a good match for you, then make the appointment for a routine examination, which is almost always pain-free. During the exam, you can interview the dentist and get a feel for his style. It’s important before anyone—hygienist or doctor—asks you to open wide that you fully explain the degree of your fear.

You can ask the dentist to stop at any time during an exam if you feel overwhelming anxiety. Or, if the dentist has done a good job at allaying your fears, and he finds something that needs treating, you may opt to continue right then with treatment, which is a good sign that you’ve found a good fit.

In Part II, we’ll discuss a technique called Guided Imagery in which your dentist can lead the process or that you can undertake yourself.

For information about dentures, dental implants and gum disease, call the Ferber Dental Group at 561-439-8888 or visit www.ferberdental.com.

Top 10 Things You Can Do to Improve Your Oral Health

Improving the health of you teeth and gums isn’t as complicated as you might think. Following are 10 relatively simple steps to get started.

1.                  See your dentist and hygienist regularly.

2.                  Brush and floss at least three times daily.

3.                  If you clench or grind your teeth, get fitted for a professional night guard.

4.                  If you have exposed roots, decalcification or sensitive teeth: Use a topical fluoride toothpaste and have a topical fluoride treatment at your next dental appointment.

5.                  Seek professional nutrition counseling to improve your diet

6.                  Do not smoke.

7.                  If a spouse or close family member has periodontal disease, ask them to get treatment, as periodontal disease is communicable.

8.                  When you see the hygienist, ask for the number of bleeding points in your mouth and compare to your last visit. They should decline in time.

9.                  If pockets are deepening or the tissue collar around the teeth is not improving (getting firmer), ask for a referral to a specialist.

10.              Understand that periodontal disease is painless (until advanced stages), and regular checkups are needed to become aware of the problem.

For information about dentures, dental implants and gum disease, call the Ferber Dental Group at 561-439-8888 or visit www.ferberdental.com.

Top 10 Reasons People Avoid Going to the Dentist

If you’re reading this blog, chances are you go to the dentist at least somewhat regularly and perhaps even to the Ferber Dental Group. But there’s a significant contingent out there who avoid going to the dentist altogether. The reasons? Well, they’re plentiful. Following are the top 10.

 

10. I can't find a dentist.

9. Dentists are too expensive.

8. My teeth don't need regular checkups.

7. I’m too busy.

6. I haven't been to the dentist in a long time.

5. Electric toothbrush works just fine for me.

4. My teeth look white enough.

3. My teeth feel fine.

2. I floss and brush my teeth; that should be enough.

 

And the No. 1 most popular reason people avoid the dentist: They’re afraid.

 

No matter the reason stated, the consensus of the Ferber Dental Group is that people are afraid of going to the dentist. Maybe they had a less-than-pleasurable experience sometime ago. Maybe they’re reluctant to uncover a problem they believe might be lurking in their mouth.

 

The fact is that modern dentistry has come a long, long way. Physical discomfort is virtually nonexistent today, with nearly all patients reporting zero pain during most procedures. In addition, the technology has evolved such that most conditions of the teeth and gums can now be treated successfully. Add to that the increasing evidence that the mouth is the gateway to the body—with poor oral health one of the culprits behind an array of seemingly unrelated maladies from heart disease to dementia—and regular visits to the dentist become not a luxury but a requirement.

 

For information about dentures, dental implants and gum disease, call the Ferber Dental Group at 561-439-8888 or visitwww.ferberdental.com.

FAQs About Gum Disease

1. Is gum disease hereditary?
Not all people predisposed to gum disease will contract it. However, if you suspect that your parents lost all or most of their teeth, especially at an early age, you should be aware that you may have a tendency to contract gum disease more readily than someone who has no predisposition, or even more readily than someone with poor oral hygiene but a good resistance to periodontitis.

2. If my parents lost their teeth does that mean that I will lose mine?
Not necessarily. Treatments have evolved that allow periodontitis-disposed patients to improve their gum health and their chances of avoiding full dentures. However, if you do have a tendency toward periodontitis, it’s important to see a periodontist before you become aware of loose teeth or bleeding gums.

3. Can antibiotics be used to treat gum disease?
Antibiotics can be used in certain circumstances. In some cases of aggressive disease, antibiotics can enhance the results of non-surgical root planning—a careful cleaning of the root surfaces to remove plaque and calculus [tartar] from deep periodontal pockets and to smooth the tooth root to remove bacterial toxins. However, the same antibiotics taken without doing non-surgical root planing have been shown not to be of benefit.

4. Can I spread gum disease to my family?
It has been shown that gum disease transmission does occur between spouses or between a parent and child. However, there is more of a tendency for this to occur if all of the parties do not have a good resistance to gum disease. You can not transmit gum disease to another person via food utensils or toothbrushes.

5. Predisposition or not, what is the best way to avoid periodontal disease?

Cleaning your teeth efficiently on a daily basis. This means efficient brushing and flossing. Also, regular professional cleanings and examinations, at least every six months for healthy patients, and more frequently for those at risk for periodontitis.

For information about dentures, dental implants and gum disease, call the Ferber Dental Group at 561-439-8888 or visit www.ferberdental.com.

Don’t Forget to Take Care of Your Teeth and You May Not Forget to Take Care of Your Teeth

Researchers at the University of Halifax in Canada have just completed a study that indicates that the elderly who improve and maintain certain health factors not traditionally associated with dementia—including the fit of their dentures—can stave off the malady.

More than 7,200 dementia-free people aged 65 and older were studied over a 10-year period for 19 health problems that typically plague seniors, and those with poorly fitting dentures were more apt to suffer dementia by a factor of 3.2 percent. Other of the health problems included issues with vision, hearing and skeletal diseases like arthritis.

In a story about the study reported by Fox News, a dementia specialist at the Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Stephen Rao, said that the study indicates that illnesses like Alzheimer’s disease might very well be connected to overall health and not just vascular issues as previously thought.

And while a factor of 3.2 percent may not sound like a lot, in combination with improving other areas of your health, adjusting your dentures or getting new ones can go a long way in remaining clear and lucid into old age.

For information about dentures and dental implants, call the Ferber Dental Group at 561-439-8888 or visit www.ferberdental.com.

Fun Facts About Teeth

At the Ferber Dental Group, we take dentistry quite seriously. However, all work and no play can indeed make anyone dull. Following is a little fodder for when some good ol’ fashioned teeth trivia might come in handy. Enjoy.

1. A child will lose his first tooth at around age 7. 

2. Tooth enamel is the hardest substance in the human body. 

3. Like humans, most mammals are born with primary teeth that are eventually replaced with permanent teeth. 

4. Teeth in humans actually begin to form before birth. 

5. Modern-day toothbrush bristles were originally made from the hair of cows.

6. Baby teeth are actually called milk teeth. 

7. Depending on the species, a shark will typically go through 40 sets of teeth in a lifetime.

8. At 6 months of age, a human baby typically will have about 20 teeth begin to emerge through the gums.

9. Although a snail’s mouth is about the size of a pin, it can have 25,000 teeth or more. 

10. George Washington did not have wooden dentures. They were made of gold, hippopotamus tusk, elephant ivory and human teeth.

For information about the Ferber Dental Group, dental implants, dentures or periodontal concerns, call 561-439-8888 or visit www.ferberdental.com.

Teeth Whitening Through the Ages

The concept of whitening teeth probably began around 4,000 years ago with the ancient Egyptians who were known for their beautification techniques. Similar to a slight paunch on a man during the early 1900s was thought to convey affluence, the whiter one’s teeth in ancient Egypt, the wealthier one was thought to be. They used a paste of wine vinegar and ground pumice and brushed it on with frayed twigs.

A few thousand years later, the Romans came up an interesting twist that did indeed work—albeit it the method would likely make you want to go back in time and live with the ancient Egyptians. The Romans brushed their teeth with urine. Yep, pee pee. Urine has a high concentration of ammonia, which is a powerful cleaning ancient. Who in ancient Rome discovered the technique is a mystery and akin to the first person who looked at a raw oyster and thought, “Mmmmmm, this looks delicious.”

Then in the days of cowboys, cattle drives and stage coaches, dentistry became the domain of the town barber. There weren’t many dental remedies at the time, so barbers fixed most issues by pulling problem teeth. They also whitened teeth by filing them and applying nitric acid. The method worked remarkably well, at least temporarily. It also was quite painful and severely damaged tooth enamel, which, more times than not, lead quickly to tooth decay and periodontal disease.

In the 1980s, dentists stumbled upon a new technique. They noticed that the hydrogen peroxide used to treat gums also whitened teeth. Trays and gels specifically for teeth whitening quickly followed the discovery, and a few years later, laser whitening entered the picture. The rest, as they say, is history.

For information about the Ferber Dental Group, dental implants, dentures or periodontal concerns, call 561-439-8888 or visit www.ferberdental.com.