Fear is a normal part of being a human, something that humans and most other forms of life on this planet experience at times. SDDA members are dental professionals who make dentistry as fear-free and painless and possible by helping you overcome your animal sense of fear and feel calm and rational about taking care of your oral and dental health.

We come into the world as helpless creatures, so it’s no wonder we learn anxiety and fear at an early age. While most of us don’t remember before age 4 or perhaps 5, we must have experienced fear from birth – starting with wondering whether our mothers would return to us with the food we needed or whether a predator might be coming for us.

With loving care and over time, most of us learn to trust caregivers and others around us. But we don’t all have the same loving and trusting relationships with the people around us, often causing us to struggle in trusting others. In fact, those who grew up in loving, trustworthy environments may still suffer from anxiety and fear. To function in the world, however, we must learn to balance our anxiety with trust.

Understanding the three regions of the brain can help you understand how humans establish relationships for the best chance of survival and peace of mind:

  • The lizard or reptilian section of the brain is responsible for primal urges, including the urge to flee, fight, freeze, feed and reproduce. The lizard brain keeps us alive and allows us to pass on our genetic material to the next generation.
  • The limbic or monkey region of the brain allows us to form bonds with our parents and others in a way that reptiles do not. This is also the part of the brain that allows us to act on impulse.
  • The cortex part of the brain keeps impulses under control so that we can function at a higher level than other mammals, who may be controlled by their impulses. This section becomes fully developed in our mid-twenties, which is why those under that age may act without thinking about consequences.

Most of us have experienced times when our trust in someone is broken, and the more often this happens, the more likely we are to experience uncontrolled fear and anxiety. Visits to a dental office provoke anxiety in many people because we expect to have pain and do not necessarily trust that the dentist will be kind, caring and concerned about our needs.

When we understand how trust and anxiety work in the brain, however, we can break out of lower brain patterns and courageously seek out dental care designed to keep pain and anxiety-triggering situations to a minimum. At each San Diego Dentist Association member, you’ll find a dental team that is deeply committed to helping patients feel at ease.

Effectively Treating You Despite Dental Anxiety

Dental equipment of yesteryear was almost inevitably painful. Today, the story is much different. In the past, easing dental anxiety was difficult for a dentist because the fear of pain often came true. Even anesthesia administration was painful in years gone by.

Some dental offices are still barbaric and painful places, but largely, times have changed. Things have certainly changed at SDDA member dental offices. As modern, gentle dentists, they use microabrasion, low-heat dental device motors, lasers and techniques that make anesthesia shots unnecessary in many cases. When it is needed, they can apply topic anesthetics and use tiny needles with warmed, pH-neutral formulas that don’t hurt. In fact, you may not feel anything at all.

Just as importantly, they consider mental and emotional health during treatment. They get to know you, answer your questions and reassure you that you can trust them. Our dentists practice these three unbreakable rules for every patient procedure:

  • We listen to you. All you have to do is raise your hand if you need us to stop a procedure. Whether it’s because of discomfort, a feeling of being overwhelmed or you just need a minute, we stop when you tell us to because your needs come first.
  • We talk to you. We tell you about each step of the process before we do it unless you don’t want us to. We don’t want you to be surprised. You’re an active partner and deserve to be fully informed.
  • We never hurt patients.

Specialists In Dental Phobia

Dental phobia is more common than you think. SDDA members take pride in doing everything possible to ease every anxiety. You will gain trust in your chosen dentist each time they’re able to meet your needs without pain or anything scary happening. Soon, you will be able to see that visiting a dentist is a necessary, acceptable and perhaps even pleasant part of life.

Each day, San Diego Dentist Association members help anxious patients, perhaps like you, calm your lizard brain and establish trust in a dentist who can help you have a healthy, bright smile without pain. It’s the mission and passion of good dentists.

Call now to make an appointment with an SDDA dentist, a gentle, trustworthy close-to-home San Diego dentist.