I used to suffer from dental anxiety. Before I met my wife, I
never went to the dentist. Not since I was a little kid. When I was young, I
had a very bad experience with some tooth extractions. I had an abnormal
reaction to the anesthetic, and neither my parents nor my dentist at the time
listened to my complaints that I could still feel everything, even after
several shots. After all, what kid doesn't complain when he's at the dentist?
So I ended up having several teeth extracted with what basically amounted to no
anesthetic. It wasn't a pleasant experience, and it left me with a lot of phobias
and fears about going to the dentist for even so much as a cleaning.
For years, I didn't confront that anxiety, and instead just
opted not to go to the dentist. I brushed my teeth every day. I flossed
regularly. I honestly figured that would be good enough to maintain proper oral
health. But when I met my wife, she expressed her concerns about the condition
of my teeth and my overall oral health, and she finally convinced me to give
the dentist another try.
Thankfully, we found a dentist in Kansas City that
understands dental anxiety, and how to help mitigate it. Rhoades Family
Dentistry helped me to overcome my fears, and now I go to the dentist
regularly. Thanks to them, it no longer even seems scary at all!
When my wife and I first went in and explained my situation
to them, they offered me an array of options to help combat my anxiety. Nitrous
oxide was a big help at first, as were oral sedatives that they gave me to take
shortly before my appointment, to help me relax. They even offered IV sedation
as an option for severe anxiety, though I didn't have to take them up on that
one. They have movies and music available to all their patients, to help take
your mind off your worries and the procedure itself. The setting it so
comfortable that they can even make dental work seem to fly by.
The most important thing, though, is that they earned my
trust. They made it clear from the outset that they weren't interested in
anything but taking care of me, my health, and my comfort. They made me their
priority, and customized my treatment plan around my comfort level. And
everyone at Rhoades Family Dentistry was very understanding of my situation.
One of the things that had kept me from going back to the dentist was a fear of
having to explain myself, but the staff at Rhoades Family Dentistry treated me
like my fears were totally understandable while at the same time showing me
that I didn't have to let them govern my life.
Dental anxiety can be a serious thing, with far-reaching
consequences in our dental health and quality of life. Thank goodness there's a
dentist in Kansas City like the one at Rhoades Family Dentistry who could help
me get both my anxiety and my oral health back under control.
