Have you ever noticed how older adults usually don’t like going to the dentist? There’s actually a very good reason for that.
In the old days — we’re talking several decades ago when those same older adults were much younger — the solution to many dental issues was to pull out the teeth that hurt. So going to the dentist was typically a very painful experience.
So while it’s not surprising that older adults associate going to the dentist with pain, most dental procedures today are both safer and painless.
Advancements in Dental Technology
First of all, extraction isn’t the first solution today. It’s usually the last. Modern dentists have the training, equipment, and experience to do everything they can to save a tooth first before pulling it out. While it’s still necessary to remove teeth that are severely damaged or infected, it’s usually the last resort.
Another advancement is in the treatment of pain. While the nerves in your teeth are highly sensitive to pain, today’s dentistry has techniques and medications that can effectively numb those nerves even during the most intrusive dental procedures. About the only pain most patients experience is the slight prick of the needle while Novocain is injected. And even then, there are numbing agents that can be swabbed onto the gum to reduce or eliminate this pain.
The result is dentistry that is as pain-free as possible.
Coral Springs Dentist — Minimizing Pain, Maximizing Oral Health
We also know a lot more about oral health than we used to. So dentists can educate and inform their patients on how to properly care for their teeth so that they don’t develop problems in the first place.
People’s teeth decay and age naturally over time So there is always going to be a need for dentistry. But thanks to advancements in dental techniques, pain medications, equipment, and skills, experiencing pain while visiting your dentists is something you essentially don’t have to worry about anymore.
