First Dental Exam – Reducing Dentophobia

You’re finally ready to visit the dentist. You book your appointment and you’re ready to go! Then, suddenly, there’s those old feelings of worry conjuring up anxiety and dentophobia sets in. This worry is caused by not having had a dental exam or treatment in quite some time.

“What will happen during my appointment?”, you wonder.

“Are my teeth in such bad shape that they’ll know I haven’t taken care of my oral health? “

If this is you, take a moment. Take some slow breaths because it’s likely your visit will not be the dramatic dental experience you’re anticipating.

The Facts About Dentophobia

Here is the honest truth about fear of the dentist from the dentist’s side of the chair. When someone has gone a while without dental treatment, the goal is not to catch you doing something wrong in your dental health routine. This can surely cause embarrassment.

Nor is the goal to bombard you with complex treatment plans or at-home routines that can overwhelm you. At Bright Horizons at Boca Raton, we aim to understand the condition of your oral and overall health first. After a comprehensive pain-free exam, we make recommendations about treatment and your at home oral hygiene routine.

Reduced Anxiety Dental Care In Boca Raton FL

Before you ever sit in an exam chair we start by collecting information that allows us to understand you.  We can assist you in completing documents to record things like

• medical history
• medications
• allergies
• any changes in health

If you feel nervous, let us know, because it helps us to pace the visit, explain more, and avoid surprises. Patients should take time to share with us what they fear. This will allow us to be aware in order to make any necessary changes to make you comfortable.

During Your Appointment

We will speak briefly about the reason for your visit. Sometimes it’s pain, sometimes it’s bleeding gums, or simply, you know it’s time. Before your exam we’ll discuss your daily hygiene routine, food consumption, teeth grinding, dry mouth, pain, etc. These details explain a lot of what we will see, and allow us to offer the best advice and treatment.

Imaging and Photos

For those who haven’t had a dental checkup in a while, X-rays make seeing and understanding any major issue to your oral health easier.  This tool gives us a chance to see between teeth, under old fillings, and around roots, where easy-to-miss decay can be tucked away.

The American Dental Association explains how exams and imaging support diagnosis and prevention at https://www.ada.org.

Worried About Radiation?

Lack of understanding about radiation can lead to dental fear and anxiety. The most important thing you should know about x-rays is that modern dental xray tools use low radiation. Even with that being the case we will still only use x-rays in your exam if it is deemed necessary based on your risk and oral health history.

If you are pregnant we will not use x-rays for any reason during your appointment. Also, if you’ve had many recent images elsewhere, we can discuss your options.

Why A Full Exam Is A Must

A comprehensive dental exam consists of careful examination of your whole mouth. During this portion of your visit we are looking for cavities, cracks, worn edges and more.

As you know, this exam is not all about teeth. Gums, tongue, and soft tissue often tell a story too. They are thoroughly examined for redness and inflammation. 

Have no fear though, most first visits are more talk and assessment than procedure. This is because we must first talk to you to develop a treatment plan that will work to address issues of concern to you as well.

All exams include teeth cleaning to reduce plaque build up.

If your gums are healthy and the buildup is light, you may get a standard cleaning that day and be on your way. If there is heavy buildup below the gums, we may suggest a deeper cleaning. It may take one or more visits.

At Bright Horizons Dental, we want your dental visit to feel like you’ve got your footing back. You came in, you faced your fear, and now you have a clear plan for oral health care.