Overcome dental anxiety with Sedation Dentistry

What’s keeping you from scheduling that important dental appointment? Is it fear? Dental anxiety affects about 36% of the population, and a further 12% suffer extreme dental fear. This condition poses a significant barrier to dental attendance, causing serious oral health repercussions for its victims.

At North Bay Smiles, we offer sedation dentistry to patients to help ease dental fear or anxiety during treatments. This way, Petaluma, California patients can access the care they need to maintain a healthy, beautiful smile.

Why do so many people have dental anxiety?

If the idea of seeing a dentist makes your heart race, you can probably pinpoint the exact cause of your dental anxiety. Maybe you’ve heard of a bad experience with a dentist, or perhaps you’ve been scared of dental appointments for as long as you can remember. Also, dental fear can crop up from nowhere.

Pinpointing dental fear is complex but often involves traumatic or negative experiences. Whatever the cause, we can help you get rid of it with sedation dentistry.

If you have a fear of the dentist, you may exhibit symptoms such as:

• Trouble sleeping the night before your dental appointment
• Constant negative thoughts about dental treatments
• Feeling panicky – often accompanied by symptoms such as sweating, stomach upset, light-headedness, hyperventilation, etc.
• Avoiding dental appointments until it becomes a dental emergency

Sedation options to help you overcome dental anxiety

Should you suspect you have dental anxiety, don’t put off that important dental appointment. Dr. Yvonne Szyperski offers safe and effective anxiety-free dentistry to make you comfortable during your treatment. Here are the different sedation options we use in our office.

• Nitrous oxide (laughing gas): This gas is inhaled through a mask and makes you relaxed but alert. Under nitrous oxide, you can follow instructions and communicate effectively with your dentist. Also, this sedative wears off quickly, so you can drive yourself home after your dental appointment.
• Oral sedation: Here, you take a sedative pill about an hour or so before your appointment. Patients feel drowsy but calm during the treatment. 

Don’t let dental fear prevent you from accessing the care you need. Instead, dial (707) 306-8001 to book an appointment with North Bay Smiles for anxiety-free dentistry.

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