The Dangers of Dental Anxiety and Dental Phobia

Many people have a fear of their dentist and many often avoid seeing one for as long as they can. It seems to me that most of these people’s fears are from either bad experiences at the dentist or are simply irrational. I attend my dental practice every six months and have never had a problem visiting my dentist. I have had x-rays, my wisdom teeth have been pulled out and my teeth have been polished but the one thing I have never had done is a filling.

From speaking to my friends and family most people seem to have a problem with fillings. I’ve heard tales of giant needles being plunged into gums and then the age-old story of the anesthetic not working as your teeth are pulled from your mouth. Having never experienced a filling I can’t tell if these are exaggerations or not but if you do suffer from dental practice phobia it can effect you badly as many people put off seeing the dentist altogether.

Avoiding going to the dentist can be very bad for your dental hygiene. Failure to visit the dentist can result in tooth decay and gum disease. If these conditions aren’t treated they will result in tooth decay which is not only painful but causes bad breath and will eventually result in teeth having to be removed. Dentists also notice other changes in your mouth and can be the first to notice developments of mouth cancer and can therefore save your life.

For these reasons dental practices are looking for ways to overcome dental anxiety in order to get people to come back to the dentist. They have been offering patients the opportunity to discuss their fears with their dentist and the possible solutions to overcome these fears. Many practices that have their own branded dental plans will offer different types of sedation, either inhalation or intravenous, as well as options like counseling services, hypnotherapy and distraction techniques.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Z_Birch

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Love Thy Heart Then Brush Thy Teeth!

In many cultures it has been thought that different parts of the body relate to each other. Reflexology experts have always said that pressure points in the feet relate can relate to headaches, migraines and other aches and pains in the body. Surgeons have now discovered that the teeth are connected to your heart.

People with good dental hygiene and that regularly brush their teeth are less likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease which can lead to heart attacks. The discovery was made by Professor Howard Jenkinson from the University of Bristol, whilst in conjunction with the Royal College of Surgeons. The discovery was made whilst they were researching into how blood cells are affected by bacteria.

About 700 different types of bacteria can be found in the mouth. People with don’t use their toothbrush enough tend to suffer from poor dental hygiene. This results in bleeding gums, which are attacked by the bacteria. The bacteria then enter the blood stream and are now known to be independent factors in causing heart disease. These independent risk factors for heart disease are caused by oral bacterial infections brought on by bacteria like Streptococcus gordonii and Streptococcus sanguinis.

These findings now explain why some antibiotics fail to work in the treatment of heart disease. Professor Jenkinson and his team are working with Dr Steve Kerringan to try and develop a solution to the problem. In the mean time they recommend that you take care of your teeth by regularly brushing your teeth and going to see your dentist or even getting a dental plan. Teeth care supplies like an electric toothbrush, dental floss, mouthwash and whitestrips may be useful in the fight against these bacteria.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Z_Birch

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