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How to Get Over Your Dental Anxiety | Sedation Dentistry Nanaimo

If you’re among the 75% of the population who suffer from some degree of dental anxiety, here’s how to beat it! sedation dentistry nanaimoSedation dentistry is a solution that has helped thousands of patients with mild to extreme dental anxiety in a safe and effective way.

What is sedation dentistry and how does it work?

Quite simply, sedation dentistry helps you manage your dental fears and allow you to get on track and stay on track with the dental treatments you need to enjoy long-lasting dental health.

Sedation Dentistry involves the use of sedatives to help you attain a relaxed, easy and calm state before and during your dental visit. At our downtown Nanaimo dental clinic, we offer oral sedation.  The strength of sedatives will be prescribed to suit you and can range from mild to moderate in their effect.

Oral Sedation Dentistry

Oral sedatives are taken as pills, which our dentists prescribe to the patient in the consultation visit leading up to the treatment.  Oral sedation patients feel relaxed and remember little of the treatment, but still maintain consciousness during the treatment.

Considerations for Sedation Dentistry Treatment?

Our experienced dentists will help you decide if sedation is right for you.  One important consideration will be any medications and supplements you are taking.  It’s very important that all medications and supplements are disclosed – so bring a list to the consultation to be sure not to miss any.

Is sedation dentistry safe?

Sedation dentistry is considered to be very safe.  As in any medical procedure, dentists are trained to administer sedation and have several measures in place to ensure the safety of sedation dentistry patients.

Getting ready for your sedation dentistry visit

When having a sedation treatment you will need to be accompanied by a friend or family member both to and from the appointment. After the appointment, your friend or family member should stay with you until the effects of the sedatives have completely worn off.

For all of your sedation dentistry questions and for all of your family’s dental needs Downtown Nanaimo Dental Group is here for you!  We welcome you to book an appointment today.

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No Fee Dental Financing!

Being healthy is a growing concern for more and more people in Nanaimo. The hard choices usually come down to a question of affordability – especially when you have a family to take care of.

PayBright’s mission is to make life more affordable for Canadians. With our convenient payment plans, you can buy now and pay over time in affordable installments. We can help you cover a wide variety of purchases – and we use leading technology to make the process fast and easy.

How it works:

1. Apply Online

Apply with our easy online application in under a minute.

2. Get an Instant Decision

Get our instant approval decision right away, displayed on screen along with the amount of funds available to you.

3. Begin Your Treatment

Proceed to your preferred health provider to finalize your payment plan and begin your health treatment without delay.

4. Make Payments

Paybright will pay your healthcare provider directly. We will set up convenient pre-authorized monthly or semi-monthly payments from your designated bank account.

Paybright provides:

  • affordable monthly payments
  • online access to your account 24/7
  • peace of mind knowing you can start your program today!
  • No activation of annual fees
  • You can prepay or pay off early at any time, with no penalties

Ask Downtown Nanaimo Dental Group’s reception for more information on this exciting no-fee way to finance your dental health.

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Dental Health Links to Serious Disease

The concern about dental health is not only about having healthy teeth and a healthy mouth.  It’s a fact that the oral health equals overall healthbody is an inter-connected system, so it makes sense that poor dental health can spill over into poor overall health.

In fact there has been significant research links from poor dental health to:

  • Diabetes,
  • respiratory diseases
  • serious infections
  • heart disease
  • women delivering pre-term, low birth rate babies

Beyond these serious health issues there are several more common issues linked to poor oral health:

  • damage to your appearance and self-esteem,
  • sleeping problems,
  • behavioural and developmental problems in children
  • and even your ability to chew and digest food properly.

No wonder our dental team at Downtown Nanaimo Dental Group is so passionate about proper dental cleaning and dental maintenance!

Here’s what you need to do:

  • Brush and floss your teeth daily (yep, floss too!).
  • Use an antimicrobial mouth rinse; it can help to reduce the bacteria in your mouth. It is possible to have gum disease and not even know it. The signs of gum disease are bleeding gum, receding gum and bad breath.
  • Visit your dentist regularly to have your mouth examined and don’t wait for problems to see your dentist
  • Eat a healthy diet according to Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide.
  • Do not smoke. If you do smoke, make sure to visit your dental hygienist regularly.
  • If you are pregnant, take especial care of your diet and oral health
  • Brush your children’s teeth for them, until they are able to write (not print) their own name. They should then be able to brush their own teeth with your guidance

It’s important to note that most extended health dental plans provide coverage for regular dental check ups and cleanings –usually every 6 months for children and 9 months for adults. If you have a gum problem, you may need to visit Downtown Nanaimo Dental Group to have your teeth cleaned by hygienist every 3-4 months until your condition resolves. This small investment is worth it considering the irreparable damage gum disease can cause.

Be sure to check your policy and maximize your trips to Downtown Nanaimo Dental Group for regular hygiene and check-ups by letting our dental reception know that you’d like to receive a reminder.  We’re happy to provide any extra service that keeps you smiling.  Book an appointment today.

Here are a few more good articles to read on the subject of dental health:

The Effects of Oral Health on Overall Health

How to Brush Properly

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Does the Sugar in My Medications Cause Tooth Decay?

It is nearly impossible to find a medication that does not list a host of possible side effects. Sometimes the potentialtooth decay causes effects are minor, like drowsiness or an upset stomach, other times more severe. But when it comes to liquid medicines, the possible damage to oral health are rarely mentioned.

New research conducted by the American Dental Association suggests that the sugar (sucrose) used in various common liquid medications may, over time, result in tooth decay. Read on to learn more about the sugar found in both everyday over-the-counter and prescription medications, and what you can do to keep your teeth healthy.

Why does sugar exist in medications?

Sugar is added to liquid medicines as a means of camouflaging the bitter or unpleasant taste of the medicinal ingredients. The sucrose also helps patients who experience difficulty swallowing their medications.

How does the sugar cause damage?

Like any other source of sucrose, the sugar found in medications is converted to an organic acid when broken down by bacteria. Most of the sugar is swallowed with the rest of the medicine, but some, naturally, remains behind in the mouth. The acid then, slowly over time, breaks down the surface of the tooth by eroding the enamel.

Since saliva contains repairing elements like calcium and fluoride, a natural counter-attack against the destruction of sugar already exists in the mouth. That healing process, unfortunately, takes time, so ensuring that the rate of damage does not overcome that of the repairing is important for good oral health.

Which medications contain the most sugar?

This particular study investigated a wide range of drugs and determined that over fifty liquid medicines contain between one and four grams of sugar per five-milliliter dose.

Codeine was found to contain one of the highest levels of sugar, at 4.3 grams (approximately one teaspoon) per dose. The study also considered the number of does a patient may be required to take in a day; codeine can be taken every four hours. Acetaminophen with codeine also contains a high sucrose level (three grams/dose).

Antibiotics were studied as well and some, such as azithromycin, cefuroxime, and erythromycin, among others, were found to contain at least three grams of sugar per dose. Also flagged for a high sucrose content include Nyquil, fluoxetine (antidepressant), senna (laxative), and carbamazepine (anticonvulsant).

What do the experts recommend?

If you are unable to swallow the pill form of your medication, don’t be alarmed—there are things you can do to lessen the chance of tooth decay from taking liquid medicines.

For everyday over-the-counter medicines, look for sugar-free versions or ask your pharmacist for types that are low in sucrose. If you are concerned about your prescription medication, bring those questions up with your doctor.

It is also recommended to avoid taking liquid medications after brushing your teeth before bed; the longer the acids remain on your teeth, the more potential harm. Therefore, taking surgary medicines right before bed is not ideal.

Since it an important matter, be sure to discuss your concerns with your dentist upon your next visit. This is especially recommended if your dentist feels you may be at risk for tooth decay.

We look forward to you contacting us at Downtown Nanaimo Dental Group for all of your family’s dental needs!

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Mercury-free Fillings

Dental fillings are the most common treatment in dentistry.  Used to treat the most pervasive dental problem, the cavity, the dentalamalgam versus mercury-free composite fillings filling preserves the tooth from further damage while simultaneously restoring the shape and functionality of the natural tooth.

Amalgam, or “silver” fillings were the preferred material to fill a cavity for decades.  However, in recent years, new technology in dentistry has created alternatives, and at the same time helped to highlight the disadvantages of using amalgam for dental fillings.

The disadvantages of amalgam fillings

Amalgam fillings are made of a mixture of metals, including mercury.  While the medical health regulators insist that exposure to mercury through amalgam fillings does not pose a significant threat, the World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that mercury is harmful at any level of exposure.

Looking purely at the practical side, amalgam fillings have a couple more strikes against them.  Amalgam fillings require that more of the tooth be removed than other restorative options.  And although amalgam fillings have proven to have the strength to endure chewing, it is equally true that amalgam expands and contracts overtime, which can produce cracks in the tooth and potentially further damage it.

What is the alternative to amalgam fillings?

Fortunately there are some great alternatives to amalgam fillings!  The most common alternative is a tooth-colored compound called composite resin. Also known as a “white filling,” composite fillings are made of a chemically engineered composite material, which has proven to be just as strong as amalgam and to provide some further comparable benefits.

What are the benefits of white fillings?

Due to the way the composite resin filling bonds to the tooth, less of the natural tooth structure needs to be removed during the treatment process. Composite resin can also be colored to match the surrounding teeth, making it a clear winner on an aesthetic level.

Do I need to replace amalgam fillings?

Amalgam fillings can safely be removed without exposure to mercury during the process.  If the fillings are older and require replacing anyway, it makes the decision simple.  Over time, our dental team recommends that amalgam fillings are replaced with composite fillings. Please consult with our dentists to find out if replacing your amalgam fillings is an option you’d like to pursue.

At Downtown Nanaimo Dental Group in Nanaimo, we do not provide amalgam fillings as an option to our patients – we’re proud to be a mercury-free filling dental clinic.  We welcome you to book an appointment today to learn more about mercury-free fillings.

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