Can you help me? My husband hasn’t been taking care of himself. We’ve only been married a few years. He’s really great to make sure I get to the dentist and get medical care and such, but I never see him provide those things for himself. I brought it up last night, he said he’s fit as a fiddle and doesn’t need to go. When I mentioned his dental care he just said, “He’s got it covered.” But his look told me he was hiding some anxiety. He tries to be tough and “protect” me from everything, but I can tell when he’s nervous. I don’t know if he’s afraid of the dentist or if he’s concerned about money. Either way, I’d like to be able to put him at ease.
Danielle
Dear Danielle,
It sounds like the two of you are a good team and really look out for one another. Both anxieties you’ve mentioned are common. I think there’s a way to help him with both.
Dental Anxiety
Most people who deal with dental anxiety do so because of a traumatic experience in the past. Some dentists just aren’t gentle, nor do they seem to understand that a person putting sharp implements in your mouth can be distressing. However, there are dentists who understand these things. In fact, they cater to fearful patients.
There are several ways to do that:
Communication
For some patients, it’s simply a matter of knowing what’s going on. They need the dentist to talk them through it and wait until they’re ready. When you’re dealing with someone who has dental anxiety, they need you to be willing to answer as many questions as they have.
Sedation
For others, their anxiety is too strong. They need something to get them over the edge. This is most common in people who can’t get numb from their shot. That alone can make for a traumatic experience. The reason they can’t get numb is because their anxiety raises their metabolism which in turn burns off their medication. Using something like nitrous oxide (commonly known as laughing gas) can help relax them enough to get numb and stay numb.
Nitrous doesn’t work for everyone. That’s why for our most anxious patients we use oral conscious sedation. It’s such a strong sedation the patient needs someone to drive them to and from their appointment. Most patients who use this method sleep through their entire appointment.
Financial Anxiety
Another issue many adults struggle with is how to pay for their dental care. Most dentists are compassionate and chose their career out of a desire to help people. I’ve not met a dentist who wasn’t willing to work with a patient on payments. Some have in-house payment plans. Others, work through Care Credit to give their patients low and even no interest payment plans. The key, as with most things, is communication. Let your dentist know ahead of time if this is a stretch for you and he or she will work with you. Business managers at dental offices are especially good at knowing ways to help you get the most out of your budget.
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