Over the years, some time has passed, and you find that you suddenly haven’t seen a dental expert in 20 years. And your teeth are starting to hurt in unexpected and painful ways. Thankfully, a high-quality dentist in Cedar Rapids and Marion, Iowa can help you get through this situation. No matter the reasons for your lack of dental care, we at Horton Family Dental will do what we can to ensure that you feel happy with your overall dental care for years to come. So don’t be afraid to take care of your teeth.
Why People Don’t See Dentists for Years
The idea that a person hasn’t seen a dentist in 20 years may be hard for some people to understand. That’s because others may take great pains to ensure that they take care of their teeth as much as possible. However, this option is not always viable for everybody. As a result, some people may find that years go by without a visit to a dental expert. And since they take good care of their teeth, this may not be a big problem for them for a long time.
The reasons for this lack of dental attention vary. For example, some people don’t have the money or insurance to visit one. As a result, they focus on other types of care options that they can afford and avoid going to get dental care for years and years at a time. This problem can become quite an issue if they start having children, and these children also have dental issues that cannot be handled by any dental professional.
Unfortunately, other people may have dental anxiety that makes it difficult for them to get treatment. This fear usually occurs if a person has a high level of pain fear or cannot handle the demands of visiting a dental professional because the tools used for this process worry them. Therefore, it is critical to find a way to manage this anxiety in a way that makes sense. Thankfully, a large number of dental experts have experienced this problem and can make sure it doesn’t affect you.
What to Expect in This Situation
When you go back to the dentist after a decade or more of an absence, there are a few things that you should anticipate. For example, that pain and sensitivity in your teeth do mean you have something wrong with your oral health. The severity can vary, depending on the situation. For example, you may have a small cavity that has grown and expanded to become a more severe problem. Or you may have an infection that will cause pain to spread throughout your mouth.
Unfortunately, you have to expect that you’ll have something wrong with your teeth – after 20 years, it would be shocking if you didn’t. However, a great dental professional will understand this aspect and do what they can to minimize your pain. For example, they will scan your mouth to seek out any cavities or oral health problems that may impact you and cause more issues. They will track them to their root and do what is necessary to eliminate them.
This process also includes talking to you about any dental anxiety and doing what is necessary to help you out in this situation. For example, many dental professionals utilize pain-free treatments that prevent stress in many people. However, it would help if you still prepared yourself in a way to ensure that you are ready for the demands of this situation. Doing so will ensure that you don’t experience any anxiety or panic attacks while you at the office.
Managing Dental Anxiety
If you have dental anxiety that has kept you away from the dentist for decades at a time, there are ways that you can manage it to get back to proper dental treatment. This process is one that can seem very hard for many people but doesn’t have to be if you are wise. Just take the time to fully understand yourself and the causes of your anxiety. And don’t neglect the different ways that your friendly neighborhood dental experts can help you out as well.
For example, you need to understand that around one-quarter of all people in the country have dental anxiety. This fear is not an unusual situation and most dentists fully understand it and what causes it to occur. That’s because they have years of experience working with people who have had problems with dental anxiety in the past. As a result, they will talk with you, identify the root of the problem, and find ways to help you out.
Start this process by learning various relaxation techniques that work for you. These include meditation, yoga, breathing exercises, and visualization concepts. Just as importantly, you need to get used to being at the dental office after having not been at once for decades. Take a few trips there and sit in the office, letting the experts know what you’re doing. If you feel anxiety building, ask yourself why and do what you can to alleviate it properly.
Ways to Make Sure You Get Back Again
If you finally get your dental anxiety under control and visit a dentist, it is essential to do what you can to make sure that another 20 years don’t pass before your next visit. If your anxiety comes back when you try to schedule another appointment, seriously consider talking to a counselor or psychologist. These experts can help you better understand what is happening and may subscribe you an anti-anxiety medication to help you out.
Next, you need to talk with a dental expert who has some payment plan that you can use to avoid high expenses. Some dentists will give discounts to people who have no insurance or who have low incomes. These professionals understand that dental care is essential and want to make sure that people who couldn’t otherwise afford it get the treatment that they need to stay healthy.
Just as importantly, you need to build up a relationship with a professional who you can trust. Doing so requires visiting the same expert repeatedly to ensure that you feel relaxed in their care. This process can take some time to get right, but it shouldn’t be too hard if you take the time to research professionals, talk to them about your care options, and build up a doctor-patient relationship that feels normal and safe for you and the doctor.
Getting Through This Situation
The demands of visiting a dental care professional after 20 years should not be taken lightly. However, anxiety is only going to make your trip to a Cedar Rapids or Marion, Iowa dentist more of a problem. Try to relax as much as possible and work with professionals and experts who you feel like you can genuinely trust. For example, you can contact us at Horton Family Dental to get the help that you need. Our experts will do what s necessary to ensure that you are happy and healthy in this situation.
