USA Today reports that a “poll conducted by the American Psychiatric Association finds Americans’ anxiety is up from a year ago, and we’re most anxious about paying our bills.” USA Today adds, “Overall, the poll measured Americans anxiety score at 51, up five points from last year.” In a statement, Anita Everett, MD, president of the APA, said, “That increased stress and anxiety can significantly impact many aspects of people’s lives.”
TIME reports the poll indicated that nearly “40% of Americans are more anxious than they were at this time last year.”
Dentistry causes a certain amount of anxiety in almost all people (including when we dentists are the ones “in the chair”!) There are many ways we help people with anxiety, the most important being developing a trusting relationship, followed by education and awareness. In some situations, use of anti-anxiety medications are a tremendous benefit or something as simple as nitrous oxide/oxygen and noise-cancelling headphone with music do the trick.
It’s important to let us know if you’re feeling even a little anxious, as we want to help. a warm “chairside” manner, warm blankets, and a quiet room can do wonders.
Avoiding dental care is one of the top reasons many people avoid dental care and slip into trouble.
Remember, we can help make it much more pleasant than you’ve probably ever experienced in a dental office. Resorting to “sleep dentistry”, IV sedation, or even general anesthesia to have dental treatment can very very costly and are not without significant risks.
Let someone you know who has been avoiding dental care because of anxiety; we’d love to help them get the care they need!