October 1, 2020
It’s the month of Halloween. Depending on your age, you may be getting ready to visit a haunted house, attend a costume party, or go trick-or-treating with your kids.
In addition to candy, Halloween is closely connected with scary things. Most of the time, this is meant to be fun. Yet, we know at River Oaks Dental that some fears are quite real — and can have serious consequences for your health.
Dental anxiety is something we are quite familiar with at River Oaks Dental. It’s something we have helped many patients learn to manage at our Jacksonville, FL dentist office.
Planning ahead and knowing what to expect can go a long way in making your oral care easier. Your first step is calling 904-348-0416 to learn more about our approach to patient care and comfort.
KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT
We realize a trip to the dentist is nothing like going to a “haunted” house for Halloween. But there may be something you can learn from the haunted house that can help you when you schedule a dental cleaning and exam.
More than anything you know what to expect at a haunted house. You know there will be spooky music, people dressed as monsters, zombies, vampires, and characters from horror movies. You probably expect people will try to jump out and startle you from time to time, and you realize the lighting inside the house will be dark to set the mood.
And because you know those things will happen you are able to take them in stride.
First, we want to assure you that no one in our office wants you to feel scared when you are at our office. We also know that fear of the dentist is quite different than being started at a haunted house. Keeping that in mind, we do want you do know what to expect at our office.
We are glad to answer any questions you have about how we approach our treatment. You also should know that you are in charge during your appointment. If you start to feel overwhelmed, let us know. We can take a break and talk about how we could take a different approach.
To help you feel more relaxed, feel free to enjoy a cup of herbal tea or fruit-infused water. Take advantage of our massaging chairs. Distract yourself with a television show or listen to music with a pair of our noise-canceling headphones.
ACCEPT HELP
A lot of people have trouble asking for help. Just know that our team is here to help you however we can. We also offer sedation dentistry to make your visits easier to handle.
Sedation has some huge benefits. It can prevent you from feeling pain or gagging. It can keep you calm, and according to many patients, it could block any memory of your treatment.
We offer both nitrous oxide (laughing gas) and oral sedation at our office. Dr. Rachel Monteiro has advanced training in sedation dentistry, and she can help you decide which option is best for you.
GET TO KNOW US
Maybe the most important factor in overcoming dental anxiety is finding a dentist office with people you know and trust. We want to get to know you at River Oaks Dental.
Contact our Jacksonville, FL dentist office online or by calling 904-348-0416. Let us show you how friendly dental care can be.
