I am still in my 20s and have very bad teeth. This all started because I have a high resistance to Novocain. This made every dental appointment a nightmare of an experience. As a result, I have neglected my teeth. I want to take charge of my oral health. Do you have any advice for someone in my position?
Kelsey
Dear Kelsey,
I am certain I can help you. Many dentists do not realize there is a direct correlation between dental anxiety and a resistance to Novocain. The higher your dental anxiety, the more resistant you are to the numbing medication. Fortunately, there is a way to counter that.
I would look for a dentist who offers dental sedation options. This will relax you enough to enable the numbing medication to finally work for you. There are different levels of sedation. Based on your past experiences, I am going to suggest you start with something stronger, such as oral conscious sedation. It is administered by a pill, but is strong enough that you can sleep completely through your appointment if you want to. However, you should be aware that it is so strong that you will need someone to drive you to and from your appointment.
One other thing I want to mention. It is important that you find a dentist who is willing to put in the work to save as many of your teeth as is necessary. Don’t let anyone tell you it is not worth the trouble. While dental implants have improved the quality of life with false teeth tremendously, there is still nothing better than healthy, natural teeth.
This blog is brought to you by Baton Rouge Dentist Dr. Steven Collins.