Going to the dentist to support your oral health is a great way to support your overall health. The only problem? Some people feel a lot of anxiety about going to the dentist, especially when they're dealing with symptoms like pain and discomfort.
How do we try to help patients who are seeking oral pain relief but also need anxiety relief? From our youngest patients to our oldest patients, the presence of a dental therapy dog can make a huge difference.
What is a dental therapy dog and how do they help patients with dental anxiety? Read on to find out what we've discovered here at Clearwater Dentist.
Signs That a Patient Has Dental Anxiety
About 36% of Americans have some degree of anxiety or fear surrounding dental treatments. With the right support, many are able to overcome that fear and get the dental care they need. Let's take a look at some of the common signs that a patient is dealing with a fear of the dentist.
Avoidance
There are a lot of reasons why patients may put off important dental care, ranging from a lack of time to limited insurance coverage. However, it's important not to underestimate the role that fear can play in keeping people out of the dentist's chair. At Clearwater Dentist, we never pressure or shame patients who have avoided dental appointments because we know that anxiety has serious impacts.
Lack of Cooperation
This is one we tend to see in younger patients: they're in the chair, but they don't want to listen to the hygienist or dentist. This lack of cooperation can come across as stubbornness or "bad" behavior, but it often stems from fear. These patients may need more reassurance and explanation of what we're doing each step of the way to reduce that apprehensiveness.
Physical Anxiety Symptoms
Some patients are forthcoming about their dental anxiety, while others either don't want to acknowledge it or don't recognize it in themselves. However, many physical symptoms of anxiety may occur, such as:
- Shaking
- Sweating
- Crying
- Lack of eye contact
- Fidgeting
Even when the mind doesn't recognize anxiety, the body often does. These symptoms tend to stem from the fight-or-flight response.
How a Dental Therapy Dog Can Help
These days, we're much more familiar with the soothing power of a well-trained dog. You'll find therapy and emotional support dogs in schools, airports, and now, even in our Clearwater office. Whether patients come in for routine or emergency care, they can spend some time with our dental therapy dog to get some anxiety relief and have a calmer appointment.
What role does a dental therapy dog play in a mindful dental practice? Let's take a look.
Releasing Feel-Good Chemicals
When patients are in an anxious state, they release excess cortisol, the stress hormone. They may find it difficult to self-soothe or self-regulate.
Research shows that humans release feel-good chemicals including dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin when interacting with dogs. These feel-good chemicals can support a natural return to equilibrium, even if the environment (in this case, the dentist's office) doesn't change.
Providing a Distraction
Patients who experience anxiety in the dentist's chair may catastrophize or jump to conclusions about what they see. Even something as simple as a plaque scraper can look sinister when you're already nervous!
Some anxious patients benefit from learning more about what their dental team is doing and the tools they're using. Others feel better when they have something else to pay attention to, altogether. Petting, talking to, and snuggling with a dog is a great distraction.
Increasing Confidence and Co-Regulating
Patients with a fear of the dentist, regardless of age, tend to feel vulnerable or out of control. Having a dog around can give them some much-needed confidence in that moment. They get to see the direct impact they have on the dog and how their kindness and words of affirmation contribute to the dog's comfort and joy.
This can also contribute to what we refer to as co-regulation, both of the mind and nervous system. As an anxious patient soothes and reassures a therapy dog, they start to believe that there's nothing to be afraid of. As they see and feel the dog's calm demeanor, their own nervous systems can shift into a deeper state of calm.
FAQs About Dental Therapy Dogs
Many reluctant patients find that coming to see a dental therapy dog makes dentist appointments a breeze. Before we wrap up, here are a few more FAQs about therapy dogs in dental practices.
Are Dental Therapy Dogs Loud and Hyper?
While some people may not mind a dog that barks, jumps, and runs all over the place, a rowdy dog makes a lot of people nervous. Dental therapy dogs have tons of training. They know that when they're on the job, it's time to be calm, quiet, and gentle.
Can Patients Bring Their Own Dogs to the Dentist?
Is it a good idea to let patients bring their own dogs to their next appointment? Federal law protects every patient's right to bring their registered service dog to the dentist's office. However, pets (dogs that don't have service registration) don't have to meet the same standards of training, and it's safest for everyone for patients' pets to stay at home.
What If Some Patients Don't Like Dogs?
As a family and children's dentist, we know that some people find dogs a little scary. Although dental therapy dogs are calm, kind, and well-trained, no patient is required to interact with them! We always do our best to accommodate everyone's needs at Clearwater Dentist.
Get Oral Pain Relief Without Anxiety at Clearwater Dentist
If you need oral pain relief but you have dental anxiety, you deserve an experience that doesn't exacerbate your stress. Having a dental therapy dog in our office means that many patients have an entirely new and positive experience in the dentist's chair.
Clearwater Dentist is run by Dr. Nadia Pokrovskaya, who has her Doctor of Dental Medicine degree at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine. We offer a wide array of dental services to meet the whole family's dental health needs. Contact us today to book an appointment and meet our dental therapy dog!
