For older people, going to the dentist can still arouse feelings of dread and fear. That’s because just a few decades ago, a dentist’s office visit was often painful and unpleasant.
Most older adults can recall dental visits that were not very much fun. And apprehension from these long ago visits can resonate today.
But thanks to modern dentistry techniques, almost all dental procedures today are pain-free. And if it isn’t exactly pleasant to have somebody working inside your mouth, at least it’s a lot more comfortable and less invasive than it used to be.
A New Generation of Patients
There are a lot of differences between today’s young people and earlier generations. One of these is their attitude towards dental appointments.
A lot of young people today have never experienced a dental appointment that was unpleasant. Even the most invasive dental procedures — such as filling cavities or even root canals — are relatively pain-free today.
While older people may remember dental visits they’d rather forget, these are memories most younger patients don’t have. So they have no reason to fear going to the dentists.
A New Kind of Dental Care
With modern dental tools and techniques, just about the only pain most patients are likely to experience is the brief bite of the needle when the Novocain is applied. And even the minimal pain from this injection is reduced with numbing ointment in many cases.
Today’s patients also can take advantage of distractions that keep their mind off the dental work, including television, soothing music over headphones, or listening to their favorite podcasts while the dentists does their thing.
Dentistry has changed a lot for the better in just the past decade. And there continue to be improvements and innovations that make the experience of visiting the dentist more comfortable and less stressful.
