BY: Dr. Michael White
There?s no reason dental work has to hurt.
Seriously.
It just comes down to getting you numb enough. Sounds simple, but the problem is, if you?re really nervous -- and a lot of dental patients are -- your fight-or-flight response kicks in. This sets off a cascade of changes in your body chemistry, causing your blood vessels to constrict. And when that happens, it?s harder for the anesthetic (lidocaine) to get to the targeted area.
Think about it: Have you ever had dental work done, and as soon as you leave the office, your mouth turns to jelly? That?s because you?re no longer nervous, and the lidocaine is fully hitting you.
Nowadays, dentists try all sorts of ways to relax you so the numbing agent can work properly. About a year ago, I decided to try out a gadget called The Dental Button. It?s a device that connects to the air compressor on my drill. As soon as a patient presses it, the drill stops in less than a second.
So far, my patients really like it. Giving them control over my drill helps them relax enough to allow the lidocaine to work better. I give a lot fewer shots now.
You might be wondering how I get any dental work done with patients pressing the button all the time. Well, it?s true that you can?t give it to kids. The temptation is just too great: They?re pressing it as soon as I walk in the door. But adults rarely do -- maybe one patient every week.
If the thought of dental work makes you break out in a sweat, talk to your dentist about any devices or techniques he and his staff could use to help you relax. Remember: Pain and dental work don?t have to go hand in hand!
Source: http://www.oralcareandhealthdaily.com/blog/stop_the_dentists_drill/index.html
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