Patients with dental anxiety sometimes assume that all dentists are sadists who devote their time exclusively to figuring out how to make their patients squirm. While this is the image that sometimes shows up in pop culture, it couldn’t be any further from the truth!
Dentists spend a lot of time thinking about how to make their patients comfortable. In fact, they even think about how the art in their office can be used to put people at ease. If you want to know how that works, here’s a brief tour of the interesting world of dental art.
Pretty Paintings, Pretty Teeth
One study conducted by the University of Westminster found that workers in high-pressure jobs who took walks to an art gallery during lunch saw their stress levels decline by the time they returned to work.
The same principle applies to dentistry. Many patients feel their blood pressure start to rise as soon as they step into the dentist’s office, so dentists select comforting artwork with cool colors with the hope that it will have the same effect.
Soothing Children
This principle is especially important when it comes to children’s dentistry. Kids tend to be particularly fussy at the dentist’s office, not just because they’re anxious, but because they also tend to get bored.
For this reason, children’s dentists will often place artwork around the office that can serve as nice distractions for children. This can be magic eye posters, Where’s Waldo pieces, or even fun murals that impress everyone who sees them.
Other Ways of Dealing With Anxiety
Of course, art isn’t the only way that dentists soothe anxious patients. Sedation dentistry is a field devoted to using drugs, like nitrous oxide, to calm people down during appointments.
Nitrous oxide is a good example because its versatility makes it an incredibly popular choice for nervous patients. Dentists can adjust the flow of gas easily, which means that they can change the power of the sedative based on your needs. Nitrous oxide is even safe enough to be used by children, so no matter your age, your dentist can ensure that you’re completely comfortable in their office.
As you can see, dentists really do have your best interest at heart. Next time you’re sitting in the dentist’s office and see a landscape, know that it represents the dentist’s care for your needs.
About Our Practice
At Dentistry By Brand, we pride ourselves on our comprehensive but conservative approach to dentistry, offering you and your family nothing more or less than what they need. We also know that running around town trying to get your family treated can add a ton of stress to dental care, so we’re happy to say that we’re a family practice capable of treating patients of all ages.
If you have any questions about dental anxiety, we can be reached at our website or by phone at (972) 495-9009.