Being Afraid Of Seeing A Dentist Can Lead To Major Expenses.

Posted on Sep 17, 2018 by William J. Claiborne, DDS MS

If you are afraid of going to a dentist, you’re one of over 70% of American adults with the same issue. Some people suffer from such fear that it keeps them from having a healthy, confident smile.

While it’s important for people to feel good about smiling (which motivates them to smile more often), research also shows that smiling can improve mood, self-esteem, and self-confidence.

Yet, having a fear of dentistry can interfere with one’s ability to achieve and maintain a smile they feel good about. As a periodontal specialist, I frequently see patients who have developed periodontal (gum) disease or lost natural teeth because dental fears prevented them from receiving regular care.

It’s a vicious cycle. Delaying or avoiding regular dental care allows tartar (or calculus) to build up on teeth. This can lead to problems such as cavities and gum disease. When treatment for these problems is postponed, the complexity of the treatment needed increases. And thus, so do the costs.

Over the years, I’ve come to appreciate the unique concerns that people have when it comes to dental care. While many adults suffer from dental fear because of an unpleasant experience in their past, some can’t recall what originally caused their fears. Others have unexplained reactions to certain smells or sounds often encountered in a dental office.

Regardless of the source of one’s fear of dentistry, we understand that these fears are essentially uncontrollable. People can’t just ‘let them go.’ And, for many individuals, perceived pain can be just as real as actual pain. This is why we offer a number of comfort options, including oral and I.V. Sedation (also known as ‘twilight sleep’).

These sedatives are helpful for patients before and throughout treatment. While helping the patient to relax, both erase most (if not all) memory of the procedure afterward. For those who are facing lengthy procedures, sedation also enables patients to easily combine several appointments so treatment can be completed in just one or two visits. Our advanced technology also helps to reduce treatment time while providing an exceptional level of comfort.

Keep in mind that it’s not just your smile that suffers when your oral health doesn’t receive adequate upkeep. Research has shown that your overall health is intricately connected to your oral health. This is because the potent bacteria of gum disease can enter the bloodstream through tears in gum tissues. Once bloodborne, it can trigger inflammatory reactions that have been associated with a long list of serious health problems. These include heart disease, preterm babies, stroke, diabetes, arthritis, some cancers (including pancreatic cancer), and impotency.

When dental care is administered with a gentle touch and skilled hands, pain should never be part of the experience. In our office, my entire team takes much pride in the words of praise that come from patients who once had an intense fear of dentistry, yet are now comfortable and relaxed throughout their appointments.

If you’ve avoided dental care due to fear, call 828-274-9440 to schedule an examination. And remember – a problem with your oral health now will only become more severe over time without treatment. Let’s help you form new, positive impressions when it comes to dental care!

We Make Your Comfort A Priority At Every Visit

Posted on Jul 10, 2018 by William J. Claiborne, DDS MS

As a periodontal specialist, I’ve always been proud to combine specialized skills with a commitment to exceptional care that creates healthy smiles. I am also committed to performing procedures to the highest degree of patient comfort – regardless of the treatment.

Dental care – of any type – can be provided without the patient experiencing pain. For some people, an unfortunate experience in the past can create a road block to achieving and maintaining good oral health and a smile they are proud to share.

We all have reactions to certain things that are automatic. For example, when some people see a wasp, they may have a sudden urge to flee. Other people may react to seeing a wasp by swatting it away. The same is true for dental fear. Different people have different reactions.

Some of our patients are relaxed from the moment they walk in our office and throughout treatment. Others are fine until they are seated in the treatment chair and then experience some anxiety (which is often overcome once numbing medications have taken full effect). Still, others are nervous and uneasy the entire time.

And, while a painful experience in the past may be the root source of dental fear, some people have no idea how their fears originated. Others have uneasy feelings that are triggered by certain smells and sounds common to a dental office. People with fear or anxiety often experience sweating or a more rapid heartbeat, many for unknown reasons.

If you experience negative feelings associated with dental visits, there is nothing ‘wrong’ with you. We all have individual response systems that can create feelings of vulnerability. Some people even perceive pain before they are touched.  This can cause people to avoid dental care – some for decades.

Here, we are a judgement-free zone. We do not lecture patients or judge them for avoiding dental care. We know it is not the way that people want to be, especially when dental fear is the catalyst of otherwise healthy adults who have developed oral decay, periodontal (gum) disease, or experienced tooth loss.

Unfortunately, it’s not just a smile that suffers when oral bacteria run rampant. Periodontal (gum) disease is an inflammatory disease. This potent bacteria can enter the bloodstream through tears in weakened gum tissues, triggering inflammatory reactions elsewhere in the body.

The bacteria of gum disease has been associated with heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, memory loss, arthritis, diabetes, preterm babies, some cancers, Alzheimer’s disease, and impotency. As research continues, new associations are coming to light at an alarming pace.

Our entire team makes patient comfort a priority at every visit. You’ll notice the difference from the very first time you enter our office – from the reception area that pampers you to the staff who greet you. Our patients are offered a selection of gourmet coffees and enjoy cable television and WIFI connection during brief wait times.

We also offer a private consultation room where patients can freely discuss concerns and preferences. During these sessions, we explain treatment options and answer your questions in a living room type setting. This allows patients to learn about individualized care recommendations without the need to be seated in a treatment chair.

Even our surgical suite provides a unique setting. A large window provides beautiful mountain views, which our patients find very soothing. For added comfort and relaxation, we offer oral sedation or I.V. sedation (twilight sleep) for most procedures for those who want or need these options.

Both sedations are administered to the highest standards of safety possible. Our sedated patients are closely monitored throughout treatment with advanced safety equipment and trained professionals.

Oral sedation is a pill that helps patients relax. It also has an amnesiac effect, leaving most with little or no memory of treatment afterward. I.V. sedation places the patient in a deeper sedative state, also erasing memory of the procedure. It is administered by a highly-trained doctor of anesthesiology for optimal comfort and safety.

Our entire staff are committed to extending patients a sincere level of compassion and commitment to exceptional care. While the doctors on our team are all top-notch, I must admit that our staff members are the aces when it comes to making patients feel truly pampered.

When patients realize our goal is to provide optimal care and complete comfort, they relax. This instills a sense of trust, which we believe is the very foundation for a patient who releases fear and anxiety and no longer feels the urge to avoid dental care.

We know that patients who are ‘afraid’ of dental care truly desire healthy, confident smiles. By helping to remove the basis of their fear, they are able to achieve that, often overcoming their fear and sense of dread for good.

If you or someone you know has fear that has prevented needed or desired dental care, schedule a consultation appointment. This will take place in our private consultation room. Here, we can discuss your needs and concerns and have your questions answered thoroughly. You can then determine what pace is best for you.

Call 828-274-9440 to learn more. Our friendly staff will make you feel good from the very first call! If fear has kept you from achieving the healthy smile you desire, or if you know someone who avoids dentistry because of fear, your very first conversation will hopefully be the beginning of a lifetime of confident smiles!

Advanced Skills & Technology Provide The Best Care For Specific Needs

Posted on May 14, 2018 by William J. Claiborne, DDS MS

When our heating system or air condition goes on the blink, I don’t call a do-it-all handyman. I call a trusted HVAC company to schedule a technician who is specially trained in its repair. He (or sometimes she) shows up understanding the specifics of our system and already has the tools (and many parts) at hand to do the job quickly and efficiently – and most of all, correctly!

The same is true when people have periodontal (gum) disease. Seeing a periodontist (a dentist who specializes in accurate diagnosis and treatment of gum disease) provides a number of benefits:

• Proper diagnosis: Do you have periodontal disease? If so, at what stage is your disease? A periodontal specialist has advanced training to properly diagnose all stages of gum disease.

• Proper treatment: I have a reputation for never over-treating or under-treating. While I always want to provide the most successful outcome based on each patient’s specific needs, I never want to put anyone through more time and expense than is necessary. My skills and experience enable me to know what will work best based upon each individual’s unique needs.

• Proper tools and equipment: As a periodontal office, we are fully prepared for the diagnosis and treatment of all stages of gum disease as well as the placement of dental implants (another important realm of the specialty). As such, we can tend to our patients in an efficient and effective manner. This also enables us to provide treatment in minimal time and to an exceptional level of comfort.

• Advanced features: One of the reasons we receive so many referrals from other doctors, dentists, and past/present patients (in addition to trust) is in the environment we provide. Our office is structured to tend to the unique needs of our patients to the highest standards of care possible. For example, in administration of IV sedation (twilight sleep), we utilize an on-site Board Certified Anesthesiologist. Additionally, diagnosis and treatment planning is backed by images from our on-site 3D Cone Beam technology. These features are not required of a periodontal practice. We simply believe that our patients are given better care with them.

• Proper care of patients’ needs: We see our patients far beyond their oral health needs. Here, patients are respected, cared for with compassion and gentle hands, and given the quality of care we would want for ourselves and loved ones. The caregivers who refer to us know this, and the patients who come to us for care experience it firsthand.

In a perfect world, everyone would have excellent periodontal health and teeth that last a lifetime. But, we know we live in a world where gum health can become compromised and teeth can fail. Our goal is to help our patients regain healthy, confident smiles they’ll be proud to share, often and joyfully!

If you feel your gum health is poor or have experienced tooth loss, begin with a consultation appointment. Call 828-274-9440 to schedule. From the very first phone call, I believe you’ll know you are in good hands!

 

Dental Fears And Periodontal Disease – Likely Partners.

Posted on Mar 01, 2018 by William J. Claiborne, DDS MS

I’m not afraid of spiders. I don’t necessarily welcome them into my home but seeing one doesn’t ‘freak me out,’ either. However, I know several people who have a fear of spiders that goes beyond simply feeling creeped out by them.

Most of these individuals aren’t certain when or why their fear of spiders began. They just know they have it. For some people, it’s the same with fear of dentistry. While some adults can track back to precisely when and why their dental fears began, others aren’t quite sure.

In a dental office, some people react negatively but uncontrollably to sounds, smells and sights. However, when dental fears exist because of a traumatic experience in a dental chair (often as a child), we know the element of trust between the individual and his/her dentist was broken.

A dentist who continues a procedure on a patient while the patient is uncomfortable – whether an adult or child – can create an everlasting fear associated with dental visits. This moment is forever in the corners of a patient’s mind, evoking anxiety or fearful sensations every time a dental visit is considered. It’s the body’s way of triggering its ‘fight or flight’ response. Like shivering in the cold, it’s a reaction that is not easily controlled.

Although we cannot erase traumatic moments from one’s subconscious, we can help patients get past their fears and achieve healthy, confident smiles. And, the need for a healthy mouth is rising to the top as one of the most important aspects of having good, overall health based on a remarkable amount of research.

Research has found that certain strains of oral bacteria from gum disease create reactions in the body that can trigger systemic inflammation. Thus far, research findings have shown a correlation between periodontal disease bacteria and some cancers (including pancreatic and lung), Alzheimer’s disease, pre-term babies, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, arthritis and erectile dysfunction (ED).

As if all that weren’t bad enough, one study suggests that gum disease relates to a reduction in one’s quality of life: “Periodontal disease has been linked to lower quality of life.” “Quality of life encompasses several domains, including psychological functioning and social relationships among others. Oral health-related quality of life has been shown to be reduced in patients with periodontal disease.” (https://www.hindawi.com/journals/prm/2017/5491923/)

While estimates show about 75 percent of American adults have some degree of dental fear or anxiety, over 47 percent have some level of periodontal disease. As a periodontist, both are alarming numbers. Nearly half our nation is walking around with a potentially life-threatening disease in their mouths. Yet, many are unaware of its presence.

The symptoms of gum disease begin silently. When they do emerge, some people ignore them, such as seeing blood in the sink when brushing. There is a misconception that this is a sign of brushing thoroughly. (Wrong! See below for helpful tips for proper brushing.*) Other symptoms, such as sore, swollen gums and frequent bad breath may be assumed to be temporary problems.

If dental fears or anxiety have kept you from regular dental checkups for a year or more, it would be rare to NOT have some level of gum disease. Quite frankly, some people with high fear levels avoid seeing a dentist for decades. Those visits are vital in one’s ability to have healthy gums.

While twice daily brushing and daily flossing are necessary components for having good oral health, the routine alone isn’t enough to combat a number of additional factors that make one vulnerable to the disease.

For example, snacking on sweets or carbohydrates super-charges the oral bacteria in your mouth. And, these between-meal munchies set off an added acid attack in the mouth (as occurs any time we eat or drink as part of the digestive process). Couple this oral acid with sugar-loving bacteria and perhaps the extra acidity of a cola or catsup and WHALLAH you have a perfect recipe for destructive bacteria in the mouth.

What creates even more vulnerability is the lack of proper brushing techniques. A number of people swipe a toothbrush over easy-to-reach teeth, do a quick swish, and they’re done. And, as a study by Delta Dental revealed, only 7 out of 10 adults are brushing twice a day. This means that 30 percent aren’t brushing enough. (https://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2014-archive/october/survey-finds-shortcomings-in-oral-health-habits)

Like anything, using proper measures makes all the difference.

* Begin with a soft to medium bristle toothbrush and a fluoridated toothpaste. Pretend your mouth is divided into four sections and spend 30 seconds in each area. Swirl the toothbrush around all sides of your teeth, including the tops that have deep pits and crevices where bacteria can hide.

Hint: if your bristles are bent to the sides after a month or so, you’re pressing down too hard. Lighten up so the tips of the bristles swipe over the surface.

Floss daily to dislodge food particles caught between teeth. These bits can rot quickly and add to bacteria levels in the mouth. What’s that? Flossing is a pain? Electronic water flossers are affordable, easy to use, and do an effective job.

Once your teeth are brushed, brush the tongue to remove oral bacteria that burrow into its grooves. Be sure to reach the back portion where the majority exist. Swish and spit several times.

Hint: Consider purchasing a toothbrush that has a tongue scraping section (typically the reverse side of the bristles). For some people, this is more comfortable than brushing.

If you are one of the 75 percent who have dental fear or anxiety OR one of the 47 percent who have some type of periodontal disease OR – even worse – have BOTH, please call us to schedule a consultation to discuss restoring the health and appearance of your smile.

In addition to providing a specialized environment for treating all stages of gum disease, we are also experienced in helping fearful adults achieve good oral health and smiling confidence. We offer a respectful, compassionate staff, an inviting office setting as well as Oral and I.V. sedation (twilight sleep), if desired.

Call 828-274-9440.