I had another great weekend! I woke up this morning to more lovely Dallas sun, a perfect way to start off a Monday. My perfect day was quickly put on hold when the phone rang with my dentist’s office manager confirming my dental appointment. I have a grave fear of the dentist, even the smell of the dentist office put me into a panic. A little research the other day revealed to me that I’m not even close to being alone in my dental fear.  A recent study found that around 50% of Americans don’t visit the dentist regularly, out of fear.  Of course that wasn’t a valid excuse when I tried to get out of going.  For those of you that share this fear there is hope,  a new type of dentistry; Sedation Dentistry.  Sedation Dentistry is a  cutting edge form of dentistry that allows dentists to administer laughing gas (nitrous oxide sedation), oral sedation or IV sedation (general anesthesia) for any type of dental procedure.  With sedation dentistry you can get complicated dental procedures done in just one visit! (That would’ve been nice to know before I got my wisdom teeth take out).  If you or someone you care about is afraid of the dentist, ask your dentist about what type of sedation would be best for you. You may just be surprised at how easy a dentist visit really can be.

Many times your teeth are the first impression people have of you when they meet you.  75% of people look at your mouth rather than your eyes when they are talking with you. There is a huge difference in appearance between someone with good teeth and a nice smile and bad teeth. A fear of the dentist causes many people to avoid dental treatment and let their teeth and smiles loose their luster.  A fear of public speaking is the most common fear, the next is a fear of the dentist. With sedation dentistry there is no reason for anyone to let their teeth and smile dwindle out of fear. Sedation dentistry gives the patient many options to ensure their comfort during dental visits. You may be a candidate for sedation dentistry if you have not had dental treatment in 2 or more years, have sensitive teeth or have adverse reactions to standard numbing or trouble getting numb or have a traumatic dental experience in your past. Ask your dentist if, IV sedation, oral sedation or nitrous oxide is the best treatment for you. You can overcome that fear of the dentist and make the type of great first impression you want. Have the smile you have always wished for with the benefits of sedation dentistry.

A recent trip to the store in Dallas to stock up on some oral hygiene supplies revealed an overwhelming number of tooth pastes, mouthwash, floss and tooth brushes. My thinking was that mouthwash is one of the easiest ways to increase the effectiveness of my brushing and in turn reduce dental visits. Which one is right for me with so many varieties to choose from and so many hygiene issues each claim to solve? I have always thought that anti plaque mouthwash would be the best way to go to fight the bacteria that causes cavities. One of the main ingredients in anti plaque rinse is fluoride. After some research I found that anti-cavity rinse with fluoride has been proven to reduce the bacteria that causes cavities by 50 percent. However most over the counter anti plaque mouthwash only helps slightly more than rinsing with water. Most antiseptic mouthwashes do curb bad breath and freshen breath for up to 3 hours after use. The most effective mouthwash is a prescription rinse that your dentist can prescribe. These rinses are proven to reduce the bacteria that causes plaque. There can be side effects from a prescription mouth rinse. Rinse with alcohol can cause a burning sensation in your cheeks and gums. Too much fluoride can cause mouth ulcers, stained teeth or a change to your taste sensation and sensitivity to teeth and roots.

Hopefully you all understand the importance of oral hygiene or if you are reading this most likely you do. Flossing is a necessary aspect of dental hygiene that often times is overlooked even though it should be done at minimum once a day. If you have fingers that look like sausages it can be painful to get your fingers way back to floss between your molars and cutting off the circulation in your fingers for about 2 minutes while you floss isn’t the greatest feeling either. What can be done to make this everyday dental treatment easier? Alas the floss holder. Many companies make a floss holder and if you have an aversion to flossing you need to know about this simple and highly effective little tool. If you have never seen a floss holder it looks a bit like a plastic sling shot with 2 prongs and the floss is strung tightly between them. It allows you a quick, easy way to access and floss your teeth. This tool cuts down not only the time that it takes to floss by 50% but also the effectiveness of flossing. This simple tool has made me want to floss rather than duck the responsibility and then feel the guilt and shame. I think everyone should own one of these and for about $4.50 it can improve your oral hygiene and save you hundreds of dollars in dental treatment.

I recently went to the dentist after a long hiatus. It had been about 2 years since my last dental visit and I approached the appointment with much apprehension. The long delay between visits for me was due to an aversion for the sound of dental instruments. Even the thought of the sound as I write this makes me cringe. Growing up I had to wear headphones blaring 80’s hair band music to serve as a distraction. To my pleasant surprise I didn’t need to break out the Quiet Riot for this dental visit. After hearing about sedation dentistry and knowing my fear and apprehension I chose to visit a dentist that specializes in sedation dentistry. After a brief discussion with the dentist the form of sedation that was right for me was oral sedation. I was given a pill prior to my dental visit and had my wife drive me there. I really don’t have much recollection of the dental visit which is just the way I wanted it. After my absence from the dentist for over 2 years I did require 2 fillings which I never had to feel or hear while under the comfort of sedation. This was one of the best decisions I have made recently and I’m a huge fan. I do feel sheepish that I waited in fear to go to the dentist when sedation dentistry was available.

As recently as the eighteenth century, worms were believed to cause tooth decay.

In the 1700s, before the advent of electricity, dentists powered their hand drills by pumping with their feet.

George Washington’s dentures were said to have been made from cow, elephant, hippopotamus, and walrus teeth.

Porcelain veneers and tooth whitening, inlays and onlays, implants and porcelain bridges and crowns – these are just a few of today’s cosmetic dentistry possibilities.