How To Overcome Anxiety for Your Root Canal Treatment
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Severe dental pain is never a good sign. But if you have dental phobia, the pain often comes with anxiety. You may need dental treatment.
Root canal treatments are very commonly performed dental procedures. Despite their necessity and how frequently dentists perform them, many people are still afraid of root canal treatments.
So, how do you overcome feelings of anxiety when you need treatment?
Here are a few suggestions of ways to manage your dental phobia and get the care you need.
A root canal treatment is typically used when a tooth becomes infected. Often, bacteria will enter the tooth through a crack or cavity. If the bacteria reaches an area called the “pulp chamber”, it will infect the living core of the tooth.
The living tissue stretches down into the root canals embedded into the jaw. The pulp chamber and root canals are home to nerve endings, which means that when the tissue becomes infected and inflamed, it causes considerable pain.
Infected matter can be removed, and the tooth can be saved. If you do not receive treatment, you may lose the tooth and develop abscesses. An infection may spread to other areas of your mouth and enter your blood. If a dental infection leads to sepsis, it can become life-threatening.
If you’re anxious about root canal treatment, it’s always a good idea to learn more about it. If you do not have the facts about a procedure, it’s easy to make assumptions and fear the worst.
When reading up on root canal treatments, always use dental websites or authoritative medical sites. With so much misinformation online, your research could make your anxiety worse.
The simple fact is that root canal treatments are routine procedures. After giving you an anaesthetic to remove any pain, we access the inside of your tooth via a small hole. Once inside, we remove the infection and sterilise the tooth.
After completing the procedure, we close the tooth using a filling. We may recommend returning to have a crown added. This will protect the tooth.
We’re used to helping nervous patients, and we want you to have a positive experience. Let us know if you feel anxious about your root canal treatment. Not only can we talk you through what to expect and answer any questions you have, but we can also find ways to support you during the procedure.
Understanding any specific aspects of your treatment which could cause you increased anxiety will also help us. While some aspects of the procedure are essential, there are often small adaptations that can make a big difference for you.
Having a friend, family member, or partner with you for moral support can help you feel more relaxed during your treatment. Sometimes just knowing they’re in the room or having them hold your hand when you feel particularly scared can make any worries subside.
During your procedure, if you feel like your anxiety levels are getting too high, let us know. We’ll let you take a short break. Taking breaks wherever possible can help you manage anxiety.
There are lots of ways to distract yourself during your root canal treatment. Listening to podcasts, music, or audiobooks can give you something to focus your attention on.
Some patients use distraction or grounding techniques to help take their minds off the procedure. Body scans and paying closer attention to your surroundings can help reduce worries.
Deep breathing can help reduce anxiety. When you become anxious, your heart rate increases, and your breathing becomes more shallow. Your body goes into fight or flight mode. Breathing deeply resets your nervous system and sends oxygen to your brain to help you think clearly.
Slowly breathe in over four or five seconds, hold your breath for a few seconds, and then breathe out for around the same length of time repeatedly for a few minutes, and you should find your anxiety subsides.
Root canal treatments are routine but essential procedures. If you’re anxious about treatment, we can help.
Call us today and book your appointment.
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