8 Reasons Not to Fear the Dentist
8. Your dentist gives you free stuff.
For anxious little kids, the promise of something sweet after a routine checkup may just be enough to tame their fears. Whether it's a lollipop, stickers, free toys or toothbrushes, after the dentist finishes their work on you, it's nice to get something for your trouble, no matter your age!
7. Your dentist understands your fear.
Whether it's because you had a traumatic experience as a child or you don't like the idea of someone poking around in your mouth, some have a very real fear of visiting the dentist. Dentists understand this and have ways of helping ease patients' anxiety. One common way is with the use of nitrous oxide, otherwise known as laughing gas.
According to Comfort Dental of Anderson, Indiana, when patients receive sedation dentistry work, it allows them to have little or no memory of the experience. You won't even remember any sounds or smells.
6. Your dentist helps you to have a winning smile.
Your smile is one of the first things a person will notice about you. Smiling helps facilitate better first impressions and makes you look more attractive. Having a healthy mouth and healthy teeth goes a long way to helping you maintain that smile.
Whether it's a professional teeth whitening session, treatment for a strong case of bad breath or straightening your teeth with braces, your dentist helps you to look your best.
5. Your dentist is there to help you.
Like other medical professionals, dentists are motivated by a desire to help people. Yes, dentistry is a profitable industry. Yet, like many in the medical field, the process of becoming a professional is difficult. More often than not, the desire to make money alone isn't enough to motivate a person to go through years of extensive training (more years than most people are willing to be in school for) while racking up tens of thousands of dollars in debt. Why else would they go through so much only to spend hours every day with their hands in people's mouths if they didn't sincerely care about helping people?
4. Your dentist could save your life.
Every time you go in for a dental checkup, your dentist does more than clean your teeth. They also check for oral cancer. Every hour on any given day, someone dies of this form of cancer. If it can be spotted early, it can be stopped. If your dentist spots it during a routine checkup, you can thank them for saving your life.
3. Your dentist helps keep you healthy.
Dentists try to prevent a host of dental issues that could affect their patients, issues such as bridges, implants, and crowns. If not treated, gingivitis could lead to other more serious health issues.
You only have one set of teeth. As the old adage goes, "Prevention is the best medicine." By dealing with dental issues before they become a problem, dentists help to keep a happier and healthier you.
2. Your dentist can do something about your pain.
If you've ever experienced wisdom teeth growing out, a mouth infection or an intense case of tooth decay, then you know how agonizing dental problems can be. If your mouth is in pain, your dentist is your best friend because they know how to treat your problem and give you relief.
1. Your dentist knows what he is doing.
Your dentist jumped through a lot of hoops to have the privilege of working on your set of pearly whites. According to Dr. Jerry Gordon, a practicing dentist, many people don't realize that "a dentist is a doctor. A dentist has completed a course of study, can diagnose and treat disease and is licensed to prescribe medications (antibiotics, narcotics, etc.)."
Becoming a dentist involves at least two to three years of college in prerequisite courses, however most students who enter dental school already have a four-year undergraduate degree. Not everyone gets into dental school. You need a high GPA and you also need to pass the Dental Admissions Test. Once in dental school, students go through four years of intensive instruction that involves nine hours of lectures and/or lab five days a week, totaling about 100 credit hours of classes each year.
After all the years of school, a dentist still has to be licensed by the state before they can practice. They need to pass the National Board Dental Examinations and clinical board examinations to show that they are competent to practice dentistry. Some states may even require one to two years of residency before licensure. On top of that, if your dentist decided to become a specialist (like a pediatric dentist or an orthodontist), that involves several more years of school.
Becoming a dentist takes commitment, hard work and extensive training. The next time you visit your dentist, have no fear. You are in the capable hands of a professional.
