Managing Anxiety Before a Root Canal

Many of us have an irrational fear of going to the dentist, even if it’s only for a cleaning. Having anxiety before a visit is very common, but for some people it’s actually debilitating. If you have avoided the dentist due to uncontrolled fear and now need a root canal, there are steps you can take to ease your tension before the procedure.

Dr. Rick D Davis and Dr. Rick S Schwartz at Endodontic Consultants of San Antonio, have years of endodontic experience and are happy to address your root canal concerns. Our team can help ease your fears related to your upcoming root canal procedure.

Why do you need a root canal?

Every one of your teeth has a pulp in the center that contains the nerve and blood vessels. This is also called the root. The root helps in sensing hot and cold, and also lets you know if something is wrong with your tooth such as a cavity.

This pulp can become inflamed and cause you a significant amount of pain if it becomes infected. This is caused by bacteria inside your tooth and can lead to:

• Intense discomfort
• Swelling of the gums or mouth
• An abscess
• Bone deterioration around the infected tooth

The root canal itself isn’t actually painful at all. The procedure helps relieve the aching tooth by removing the inflamed pulp.

Our team takes X-rays of your tooth to confirm the need for the procedure. They then numb the area around that tooth and begin drilling and cleaning out the infected pulp. After the bad tooth is cleaned out, they fill the empty space with a compound to close it up. To wrap up the procedure, Dr. Davis or Dr. Schwartz puts a filling or crown on the affected tooth to restore its strength.

What causes anxiety before dental visits?

Many people just like you have experienced some form of anxiety before a dentist appointment. Although it’s common, for you it may be completely debilitating and cause you to cancel appointments or avoid the dentist at all costs.

There are several reasons you may have a fear of the dentist that include:

• Fear of pain
• Worry about how much it will cost
• Fear of infection or germs
• Fear of the unknown

No matter what the reason for your dental insecurities, it’s important to figure out how to tame your mind before your appointment so that you keep your mouth happy and healthy.

The team at Endodontic Consultants of San Antonio helps to ease some of your anxiety by explaining what they will do during the root canal procedure, and by taking steps to ensure you are comfortable while they are working.

How you can manage dental anxiety

If you’re in need of a root canal, your mind may be racing and concern rising about how painful the procedure will be or how much it will cost. The good news is that there are several ways to calm your fears before your procedure. Some of the things you can do include:

Meditation 

Meditation can be utilized before the procedure by focusing on your breathing to naturally calm your anxiety.

Visualization

Visualizing yourself having a great, pain-free appointment or picturing a beautiful place that makes you happy and puts your mind at ease can calm your anxiety.

Listening to music

Music is a stress reliever for many of us, and can help drown out the sound of the dental instruments during your procedure.

Something else you can do to help ease your mind about your root canal is to gain as much knowledge about the procedure as possible. Discussing your concerns with our team and educating yourself about the procedure can really help take the fear of the unknown out of the equation.

If you’re in need of a root canal, call our office today at (210) 405-0473 to schedule an appointment with our team, or conveniently book an appointment online.