One of the most common reasons why people suffer from dental anxiety is a traumatic experience in their past.
Whether they were a child or an adult, a dentist visit that goes wrong can have lasting psychological effects for many patients. Fortunately, those that suffer from trauma have options.
Great place. Dr Thoms was wonderful, and checked in later in the day to see how I was doing—despite being about to catch a flight, he wanted to make sure I was alright. The nurses were lovely and very accommodating. Thanks for making my wisdom teeth removal under anesthesia so “painless”!
My dental appointment was absolutely amazing! Dr. Behl and Laina performed a thorough examination and cleaning! I couldn’t have asked for a better experience!
Response from the owner:Thank you for your kind review! We appreciate your feedback and are glad you had a positive experience.
I highly recommend the Dental Anesthesia Center. The best dental care, knowledgeable, efficient, state of the art facilities, friendly, painless, AWESOME! Laina is my hygienist and she is very thorough!! Dr Hoffmann has always done my dental work and he is truly amazing, I never feel a thing!
Response from the owner:Ann,
Thank you so much for your kind review! I'm glad to hear that you have had such a pleasant experience!
The Dental Anesthesia Center
Dr. Hoffman and his staff are very good at making the experience for my special needs son, as easy and non stressful as possible for him. It's not easy handling him sometimes but Dr. Hoffman has compassion and grace towards my son and takes his time and doesn't rush thru. I appreciate him and his staff as always and highly recommend this office especially when you need that extra care with dental needs.
Response from the owner:Thank you for your kind words and recommendation. We appreciate your trust in our team and are grateful to be part of providing a positive experience for families in our care.
We had a very positive experience with Dental Anesthesia Center. Dr. Thoms and his entire staff were kind, patient, and understanding throughout the entire process. My child has special needs, and as an anxious mom, I truly appreciated how compassionate and reassuring everyone was.
We were referred to Dr. Thoms by our child’s dentist, and they took the time to explain everything while genuinely wanting to do what was best for my son. Communication was excellent throughout the procedure, which helped ease a lot of my anxiety. The office staff, including the ladies who handled the payment process, were just as kind and helpful, and I never felt pressured when discussing treatment or costs.
The cost was more than we anticipated and definitely an unexpected expense, but my child’s needs always come first. Most importantly, my son seemed very comfortable afterward, did not appear to be in pain, and was eating an hour after the procedure.
I don’t give perfect scores lightly, but I would absolutely recommend Dr. Thoms and his team to other families, especially parents of children with special needs.
Response from the owner:Thank you for your thoughtful review and kind words. We’re grateful for the opportunity to provide care and appreciate you trusting our team. Wishing you and your family all the best!
Respect the Statistics
No matter what happened to you in a dentist’s office, the odds of something bad happening again are minuscule. The truth is that dentistry is incredibly safe. Something else to note is that your trauma might not have been exactly as you remember it. This is often the case when people have their experience as a child. They recall high levels of pain, but would not feel as bad if they had been an adult at the time.
Find Someone You Trust
An excellent way to calm your nerves is the find a dentist that you trust. Often, the first step in doing so is looking at reviews online. What they will do for you in give you confidence in a provider based on the fact that so many others have been satisfied in the past. Next, you can meet that dentist and the office staff. More than likely, you’ll have a connection with them and be okay with letting them treat you.
Controlled Exposure
Controlled exposure is a technique that has been consistently proven to be effective. In a dental context, it involves you gradually exposing yourself to more and more dental anxiety. In the process, you become braver and able to fight your fear. That process might go something like this:
Talk to the dentist on the phone about your issues and the possibility of an appointment.
Drive to the dentist office, but don’t go in.
Schedule an initial consultation with no treatment.
Go to a full appointment.
Breathing Exercises
Another way to calm yourself down is through breathing exercises. What sufferers of anxiety often don’t know is that controlling your breath is critical if you want to manage your emotions. When you get worked up, you start to over breath, which creates a feedback loop that heightens anxiety. You can stop this cycle by breathing slowly and deeply, rather than the quick and choppy inhalations that characterize anxious episodes.
Consider Sedation Dentistry
Perhaps the best method of overcoming a traumatic dental experience is using sedation dentistry. What this practice involves is medicating you to the point of partial loss of consciousness. Doing so will lessen your pain response and keep you calm throughout your treatment. Sometimes, lifestyle changes are not enough and medication is necessary for getting you the oral care you need. Sedatives can fill that role for you.
No matter how traumatic your past dental experience was, you cannot avoid this type of medical care your entire life. Instead, you should do whatever you can do get back into the dentist and get the treatment you need.
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The first two board-certified Dentist Anesthesiologists in the state of Missouri.
