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When Is My Son Allowed to Leave a Pediatric Dentist?

July 14, 2017

Filed under: Pediatric Dentist — Tags: , , , , — okcitydentist @ 4:50 pm

My son does great at the dentist. Nothing bothers him. He does shots for cavities like he’s reading a book, but he’s only 9. When are we allowed to switch him from a pediatric dentist to a regular one? It would be so much easier on our family schedule if we could all go to the same clinic.

Amanda – A.K.A. tired mommy

Amanda,

It sounds like your son is a rock star at the dentist’s office. Nothing phases him. This is great. It means he’s had positive experiences that have given him confidence. Many kids require some kind of sedation. Here’s the thing, your child NEVER has to go to a pediatric dentist’s office. He’s more than welcome to see a general dentist, even from the first appointment.

There is a condition with that. You want to take him to a general dentist who enjoys treating children. Some do and some don’t. If they don’t, that won’t be a good fit for your son. So, how can you tell? First, is ask what age they’re comfortable treating children. If they say 9 or 10, then they’re not really that great with kids. If they say around 2 or 3, then you can feel fairly confident they know their way around the mini-human set.

If ever an issue came up that required some specialized training, he (or she) can easily refer you to a pediatric specialist.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Don Swearingen.

My Husbands Embarrassed to Admit Anxiety

November 1, 2016

Filed under: Cater to Cowards — Tags: , , , , , , — okcitydentist @ 3:22 pm

My husband has been avoiding the dentist for the last three years. The last time he went in was quite the negative experience for him. Now he’s stopped going. He tries to blame it on finances, but I know it’s really because he’s too afraid to go back. Is there a way I can help get him back to the dentist?

Julie B. – Carson City

Julie,

Negative experiences at the dentist leave a lasting impact.  It’s sweet that he wants to appear brave and self-sacrificing to you. I bet there’s a way you could help him keep his pride while getting him back in the dental chair.

My recommendation would be to get information on sedation dentistry into his hand. A simple internet search will help you locate dentists who offer that in your area. You’ll likely even find your current dentist offers sedation. They sometimes advertise as sedation dentists or cater to cowards dentists.

If you’re worried about embarrassing him, you could print out some information and leave it around for him to find. Or, you could tell him you heard about how you could have completely pain free dentistry with sedation and were thinking about checking it out.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Don Swearingen.

Cater to Cowards without Sedation?

September 1, 2016

Filed under: Cater to Cowards — Tags: , , , , , — okcitydentist @ 8:29 pm

I’m a total coward when it comes to dentistry. I know there are dentists who advertise as catering to cowards, but when I call their office, it seems all they do is sedate you. I’m not too keen about that either. Is there any way a dentist can cater to fearful patients without sedation?

Laura O. – Washington

Laura,

I can understand your feelings. Sedation is a common way for dentists to deal with anxiety in their patients. However, it’s not the only way.

Some dentists have a gentle manner and technique about them. Their patients feel completely at ease. These dentists are perfectly comfortable with anxious patients and have a way of putting them at ease.

Each dentist that works with fearful patients have their own way of going about it. For instance, Dr. Swearingen uses an instrument called “The Wand”. It allows him to give completely painless injections.

You can read more about it on his Cater to Cowards page.

I’d call around to some dentists. If their only method for dealing with fearful patients is to sedate them, move on to someone else.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Don Swearingen.

Marijuana for Dental Anxiety

March 30, 2016

Filed under: Cater to Cowards — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , — okcitydentist @ 1:51 pm

Is it OK to go to the dentist after smoking marijuana or will it mess things up? Dentists make me nervous. I think it’s not big deal, but my wife wants me to check.

Lewis – Oregon

Lewis,

You should thank your wife. There can be serious health risks if certain medications are used together. One of those is marijuana and epinephrine, which is a common ingredient in some local anesthetics. If your dentist doesn’t know that you’ve ingested marijuana, then you could end up with heart problems. If he knows, it’s possible to give you and anesthetic that doesn’t contain epinephrine. There are also pain meds that won’t interact well with marijuana usage.

The key is communication. Make certain your dentist knows EVERYTHING you’re taking, including over-the-counter medications, because you never know how it will effect your dental care.

There is another option if you’re uncomfortable with dental work…or dentists. Have you considered sedation dentistry? This can give you pain free appointments, without the complications of trying to self medicate. Talk to your dentist about it ahead of time. He or she will likely work with you. If not, you can always find a different dentist who is willing to.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Don Swearingen.

Can I take a valium before my dental appointment?

November 29, 2014

Filed under: Cater to Cowards — Tags: , , , , — okcitydentist @ 1:55 pm

I have severe anxiety issues and haven’t been to the dentist in years. My anxiety is dental based, but it affects me going to the dentist. Is it possible to take valium before going to the dentist or is that a no-no. I’m tired of neglecting my oral hygiene.

Stephanie H. – Wisconsin

Stephanie,

It is perfectly fine for you to take your valium before your dental appointment. In fact, sedation dentistry does something similar. It’s intended to relax you so you can have a pleasant dental experience.

Be sure you explain to your dentist what you’ve taken. This way he can be sure not to give you anything that will interfere with your medicine.

If you feel you need something stronger, talk to your dentist.  Usually a sedation dentist or a “cater to cowards” dentist will have other options in sedation. Some even have IV sedation.

This blog is brought to you by Oklahoma City Dentist Dr. Don Swearingen.

 

My dentist makes me sweat

September 24, 2014

Filed under: Cater to Cowards — Tags: , , , , , , , — okcitydentist @ 8:47 pm

I have a real problem and I don’t know what to do about it. Every time I go to the dentist, I break out in a cold sweat. The last time, I actually left before my appointment started, making up an excuse of a family emergency.  I don’t know why this is happening.

Ezra B. – Mississippi

Ezra,

You’re suffering from dental anxiety. it is fairly common. I wouldn’t despair yet. There are many dentists who cater to fearful patients. They generally have a better chairside manner than most, are more gentle, and practice some form of sedation dentistry.

You may just need something to relax you, such as nitrous oxide.  However, if your fear is stronger, you might need something stronger, like oral concious sedation or IV sedation.

If your current dentist isn’t good with fearful patients, I would look around for another dentist. There are plenty out there who take great pride in helping people in your situation.

This blog is brought to you by Oklahoma City Dentist Dr. Don Swearingen

 

Fear of dentist

April 26, 2013

Filed under: Dental Fear — Tags: , , , , — okcitydentist @ 1:03 pm

Can you give me some advice on getting over a strong fear of the dentist.

Yasmine- Florida

Yasmine,

Most dental anxiety is rooted in a traumatic experience with the dentist, so the biggest factor in getting past your fear is going before you have a dental problem. That way you get to experience an easier appointment.

You’ll also want to go to a dentist who readily works with fearful patients and you can build a trusting relationship with. Look on their site to see if they have a page dedicated to dental anxiety, such as a cater to cowards page.  You  can also look for a dentist that practices sedation dentistry.

While you’re there ask your dentist to show and explain to you what he is going to do ahead of time. That way you aren’t taken by surprise. Some dentists will also let you listen to your ipod if that will help relax you.

This blog is brought to you by Oklahoma City Dentist Dr. Don Swearingen.

 

Do I need a root canal?

February 28, 2013

Filed under: Root Canal Treatment — Tags: , , , , — okcitydentist @ 8:28 am

I went in for my first filling. I kept filling some pain. She numbed me a second time, but it didn’t really help. Then she stopped, put in a temporary filling, and told me I needed a root canal. Is it possible I should have just been tougher and I don’t really need a root canal?

Deanne, from Albany, NY

Deanne,

I don’t think the problem was you not being tough enough. Sometimes, a dentist won’t know you actually need a root canal until they get in to do the filling. It’s likely that the cavity was deeper than was visible on the x-ray. If she got in there and saw that it had reached to pulp of your tooth, it was time to do a root canal.

That may have been one of the reasons that you weren’t able to get as numb as she was expecting. An infection can make it more difficult to get numb. Another thing that affects anesthetic is anxiety. If you are highly fearful of dental procedures, you can burn off all the numbing agent. One solution to this is to use sedation dentistry. This takes the edge off your anxiety and allows the anesthetic to work.

This blog is brought to you by Oklahoma City Dentist Dr. Don Swearingen.