by LID Admin | Sep 9, 2013 | Dental Anxiety, General Dental Care, Uncategorized
Most Australians don’t have regular dental check ups. Here are some of the reasons many of us don’t get our regular dental check up It ‘s expensive to have your teeth checked every 6-12 months I don’t have the time My teeth look fine so I don’t need a check up I’m afraid of the dentist Dental appointments are painful Those are just a few excuses people use to not attend their regular dental check ups, but here are some reasons why you really should and that discount the above excuses! A regular trip to your dentist will ensure you are looking after your teeth well and catch dental issues before they get worse. So in reality if you are having your teeth regularly checked, you will save money! In the long run if you avoid general check ups and then one day you are hit with a horrible tooth ache, it is more likely that you are going to need extensive dental work done. Having a dental check up generally only takes 30 minutes apposed to if you have a tooth ache and need an emergency dental appointment, you may need to wait to be seen, then depending on what is wrong with your tooth this could be an extensive and more expensive appointment! Just because your teeth look fine on the exterior doesn’t mean that they are fine in the interior. Routine x-rays are performed when needed during a dental check up and these can help detect if there is anything sinister going on with your teeth. So you’re afraid of the dentist, who hasn’t been at...
by LID Admin | Mar 27, 2013 | Dental Anxiety, Dr Davies says....
The use of hypnosis can be, and usually is, extremely effective in the alleviation of many kinds of anxieties and phobias including those of dental origin. What is it like and how does it work? Being in hypnosis results in a very calm and relaxed state of mind and body. Initially the aim is for bodily relaxation and as this is achieved there is a concurrent relaxation of the mind. When the mind is relaxed it is not overwhelmed by worries which would ordinarily prevent it from functioning properly, for example, one is able to focus clearly on pleasing imagery such as being at the beach, bushwalking, attending a play at the theatre and so on. In fact under hypnosis one is able, with very little effort, to so intensely focus on such situations that other experiences and sensations (even dentistry) become far removed from one’s awareness. This has been described as being similar to seeing a play when you are so intensely focused on the central characters that you become unaware of what may be happening at the periphery of the stage. In other words you become dissociated from your current experiences. As you may think such focusing of the mind does require a certain degree of effort. As a result and contrary to popular belief weak-willed people make poor hypnotic subjects on account of their inability to focus the mind. The best hypnotic subjects are intelligent people who are not easily distracted. Hypnosis can be used in dentistry to relieve pain and stop bleeding but its chief use in dentistry is to relieve dental anxiety...
by LID Admin | Mar 14, 2013 | Dental Anxiety
I am afraid of the dentist! OK, I said it and I know I’m not alone! Many people suffer from dental anxiety on many different levels. There are the kind that get a bit jittery at their annual visit to the dentist and range through to those who have extreme anxiety and avoid booking an appointment all together. There is no shame in it, everyone has anxiety over things in life and maybe yours just happens to be going to the dentist? The truth of the matter is it is better to have regular check-ups and keep your pearly whites in good nick, but we all know that. So what would it take for you to make an appointment after sooo many years of neglect? Trust me, our dentists have seen it all before and you’ll feel good about taking the first step and booking an appointment for a general check. The dentist doesn’t have to commence work on your teeth right away, they can discuss what needs to be done and draw up a treatment plan which you feel comfortable with. One step at a time, and maybe you’ll get lucky and not have to have a thing done except for a clean and a talking to about going to the dentist more regularly! You have to start somewhere so why not make it before you have tooth ache! Some ideas to make you feel more comfortable about going to the dentist: 1) Bring a friend or family member along with you. If you would feel better having a friend or family member with you, why...
