Dental Pain: Is It All in Your Head?

PAINLESS DENTISTRY
What do you fear most about going to dentist? 
Just a thought of having a needle inserted into your cheek and a cavity removed from your tooth is enough to bring tears to some of you. 

However surprisingly it is not the actual dental procedure that most often terrifies patients. According to survey studies, the site of needle and sound of the drill were the two most feared elements of dentistry. In REAL TOOTH we have used the ''painless injection for quite sometime. It may seem strange, but visual stimuli, sounds and even memories can actually enhance pain. In fact fear and anxiety related to dental procedures very often complicates matter. It is comforting to know that just as the mind can trick you into interpreting sights and sounds as pain, so too can the mind be used to control the pain. We could explore the reasons behind the severity of dental discomfort and offer options for its control. 

DENTAL PAIN - IS IT ALL IN YOUR HEAD?

The first step in managing or eliminating the discomfort involved with going to the dentist is understanding its source. In many cases, the myths about dental pain often outweigh the realities and the anxiety caused by these myths further intensify the pain.

PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS:

In addition to the perceived pain brought on by the intimidating sights and sounds, other factors such as your state of mind can effect the level of discomfort experienced. A high level of stress and irritability makes it more difficult to control pain. Although the reasons are not fully understood, the effect of anxiety on the body's ability to suppress pain is significant often requiring that the patient be pre-medicated with anti anxiety drugs.

PHYSIOLOGICAL FACTORS:

Because of the oral cavity's proximity to the brain, as well as complex nerve structure of head and neck, dental pain is often more severe than pain in other parts of the body. 

One of the most trouble some biological factors that dentist must deal with is bacterial infection. In addition to the sensitivity caused by infections, the initial inability of oral infections in the teeth and bony structures to drain results in the buildup of pressure. As bacteria quickly multiplies and produce gaseous toxins, pressure increases and pain results. If an infection is neglected for even a day or two, the pressure can become intolerable.

CONTROLLING DENTAL PAIN:

For some straight forward dental procedures, controlling pain and fear can be controlled by utilising relaxation tools such as nitrous oxide used for conscious sedation. However some other procedures such as surgical scaling and root canal therapy, requires nerve block in combination of relaxation therapy.

DENTAL HEALTH MAINTENANCE:

Of course, the most important way to reduce the pain involved in maintaining oral health is by focusing on preventive care instead of treatment of problems. If you've put off going to the dentist for years and have neglected regular flossing or brushing, you may be experiencing advanced stages of tooth decay or gum diseases-both painful problems. The further decay spreads the more radical treatment required.