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How to get the most from your partnership
Think of the relationship between you and your dentist as a partnership,
your dentist can offer a range of dental treatment options for many oral
health problems. Theses option will vary in complexity, durability and
cost but working together, you can choose the treatment options that
best suit your needs and budget.
A good dentist will explain each treatment option, including it's
benefits and drawbacks. It is important that you tell your dentist about
yourself and your needs and you shouldn't be afraid to ask the dental
team questions if necessary in order to help you understand their oral
treatment recommendations.
The key to all good relationships is trust and understanding as it
should be between you and your dentist, you should therefore try to
build a relationships based on open and honest communication. A good
dental team will be more than happy to explain the oral care program
they are proposing for you but if you don't understand any aspect you
may want to ask some or all of the following questions.
- Can you give me a
step by step breakdown as you make your oral examinations?
- What are the
treatment options in respect of my specific needs?
- Are there any
alternative treatments I should consider?
- Which of these
options would give me the best outcome?
- What needs to be
treated now and what can wait to be treated later?
- What can I do in
future to avoid similar problems reoccurring?
Concerns
Confidence and trust are key factors when visiting your dental team, a
dental expert said, "Dentists are trained to understand their patients
worries and cam empathize with them. Your dentist should be an expert,
not just in technical dentistry but in communication, empathy,
understanding and be able to deliver care in a professional manner". He
also stated "that cost was actually quite low on their list of concerns,
a hygienic, friendly environment is more important for most people".
Many people have a level of anxiety when visiting their dentist,
probably based on a bad experience from their childhood when dental
techniques were not as good as they are today. Things are somewhat
different today as modern dental care and new techniques and advances
mean that the discomfort you may remember from your childhood is
considerably less today.
Advice
Don't wait for your dentist to sort out your problems, our expert stated
"Avoid problems by sticking to a good mouth care routine in the first
place, healthy teeth are within everyone's reach".
Remember you and your dentist are a team and good oral health is your
goal.
About the Author
Tony Forster has a keen
interest in dental care and bad breath treatment and has compiled many
useful resources at:
www.eliminate-bad-breath.info
The content of this article is for information purposes only, it is
advisable to consult your medical or dental practitioner before
implementing any program or change to your current regime.
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Be cool in the chair!!!
If
you're anything like me you'll feel varying degrees of anxiety when you
find yourself sitting in the dentists chair, perhaps you can remember a
specific incident from your childhood that brings back painful memories
or maybe you don't like the sounds and smells involved. Being afraid of
the dentist is nothing to be ashamed of and is something most of us
experience at sometime in our lives.
The good news however is that modern dentistry is is now a different
experience, modern dentists have a greater understanding of their
patients fears and concerns and have undergone additional training to
meet these concerns. Dental practices have also greatly improved with
less painful treatments, more efficient practices and quicker dental
treatments along with your dentists empathy make for a much nicer
experience.
Lie back and think of something nice...
5 things you can do to make the experience more enjoyable...
1. Arrive relaxed, calm and on time - Plan your visit with care, be sure
to allow plenty of time to arrive and park your car if driving. If you
are running late or have difficulty getting there on time you will
naturally be more stressed. A high level of stress can make you
irritable and that makes it more difficult to control your level of
anxiety.
2. Try exercising your brain - Don't just sit in the dentists chair
thinking about nothing or worse still imagining what might happen but
use the time effectively by thinking about something that will tax your
brain. Why not have brain puzzle already prepared or perhaps you'd
prefer to think about planning your next holiday or a home improvement.
Whatever you do make sure you have something to occupy your mind other
than what is going on...
3. You are in control - It is important that you let your dentists know
how you will signal that you want them to stop now because you need a
break before the dental treatment can start again. The mere fact that
you can now control the situation often helps reduce anxiety and makes
the treatment more bearable.
4. Music can help - A personal stereo that allows you to play your own
choice of music or a talking book can help distract your mind and hide
the sound of treatment.
5. Hypnosis and relaxation - Perhaps your dentists offer these
techniques which are a little like day dreaming, these techniques allow
you to gain control over your feelings of distress, panic or fear, if
your dentist doesn't offer these services they will most likely be able
to suggest somebody suitable.
Most importantly speak to your dentist and explain any fears and
concerns you may have about your treatment, a good dentist will be able
to empathize with your feelings and by carefully explaining what they
are about to do and how, it will go a long way to resolving your issues
without the need for any other technique, you may even find yourself
looking forward to next visit???
About the author
Tony Forster has a keen interest in
dental care and bad breath treatment and has compiled many useful
resources at
www.eliminate-bad-breath.info
The content of this article is for information purposes only, it is
advisable to consult your medical or dental practitioner before
implementing any program or change to your current regime.
Back to the top
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