Remember to Take out Your Dentures Every Night

One of the main complaints that people have about going to the dentist is the pain. A simple cleaning can feel more like torture to people who have especially sensitive teeth. Thus, rather than go to the dentist to get their teeth looked at, there are people who simply try to do the best that they can on their own. If you are one of these people, you need to know that any good plan for maintaining a healthy smile includes a trip to the dentist every six months. If you want to make your trip to the dentist more bearable, you should consider pain-free dentistry.

No Need to Be Awake—Sedation Eliminates Pain

A dentist can work on your mouth just as easily whether you are awake or asleep. Thus, you have no reason to torture yourself by being awake during a dental procedure. When you choose a dentist, make sure you ask about the availability of sedation. Local anesthetic can mask a good portion of the pain of a dental visit, but you will still have to deal with a lot of unpleasantries. The grinding, the smell of burning enamel, the hundred and one instruments your dentist tries to push into your mouth—anesthetic won't be able to hide all of these things. With a little nitrous oxide, you can mask all of the pain.

The Right Equipment

Masking the pain of a dental visit with sedation will do nothing to prevent you from feeling the residual pain you feel when you leave the dentist's office. The right equipment can prevent a lot of the pain that results from using traditional tools. For example, when dentists try to eliminate a cavity, they will use a drill to grind the tooth down and prepare for a filling. Drills can slip and nick your gums; they can also create cracks in your tooth that may evolve into cavities. By finding a dentist who uses a laser to remove tooth enamel, you can avoid a lot of the pain of delicate procedures without having a lot of pain to cope with after your appointment. 

Proper dental hygiene is a key component of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Without the boons of modern dentistry, your teeth have little chance of lasting your whole life. While your teeth slowly erode away, the pain you feel only gets worse. If you are avoiding the dentist as a way to avoid pain, you are implementing a losing plan. Thanks to advancements in dental procedures and equipment, you can go to a dentist without having to cope with massive amounts of pain just to keep your mouth healthy. If you are highly sensitive to pain, you should look into pain-free dentistry. 

Contact a dental clinic like Arrowhead Family Dentistry to learn more about your dental care options.