How can you not feel scared before your visit to the dentist?
For many people, booking an appointment to get their teeth checked is one of the dread inducing things they could do with themselves.
Speaking on The Pat Kenny Show, dentist Dr Bronagh Keane had a few tips - starting with booking the appointment for first thing in the morning.
“I think that’s a real simple one because otherwise you’re stressing about it all day,” she said.
“Another one I find is that people actually skip their breakfast because they’re so worried.
“So, make sure that you eat, make sure that you arrive five minutes early, have time to sit down and have a glass of water.”
A child at the dentist.Some people even go so far as having themselves sedated for the most routine dental appointments.
Dr Keane described sedation as something that is ‘definitely required’ for more advanced treatment but should be avoided if possible.
“On a general scale, I try and gear people away from that for general dentistry,” she said.
“Because you don’t want to have to think about having to get medication every time you come in.
“You want to reserve it.”
Teeth whitening
For those who want to avoid problems with their teeth long-term, Dr Keane also advised people to avoid using over the counter tooth whitening products.
“Coming into summer, everyone’s going to want to get their teeth nice and white,” she said.
“With the over the counter whitening products like your strips or your tooth paste, they don’t have enough hydrogen peroxide in them like the one prescribed by your dentist because the EU has regulated that to only 0.1% versus 6%.
“So, they contain other acids and other abrasives that are going to scrub off the top layer of your teeth - which is the enamel, the white layer - and it’s going to thin that to expose the underneath layer - which is the yellow [layer].”
The dental profession advises people with good oral health to book an appointment once every 12 months.
Main image: A dentist examining a patient. Picture by: JOHN KELLERMAN / Alamy Stock Photo
