Dental Anxiety…

Fear and anxiety in the dental office could be a result of oral dysfunctions.

Mouth breathers feel a loss of control during dental appointments that leads to anxiety and panic without even realizing it…

June 15, 2020

As a dental professional, I always looked closely at the teeth, gums, bone around the teeth, and alignment of the teeth.  I even looked at the tongue but was more often looking for signs of trauma on the tongue.  I did not really understand the proper and improper function of the tongue.  I did not fully recognize a tongue tie if there was no speech concern… until recently…

There are obvious signs in the dental patient there may be a restriction or problem with the tongue:

·        Red, swollen gums on the upper front teeth

·        Gag reflex

·        Chokes a lot during the appointment

·        Scalloping of the sides of the tongue (especially on the front tip of the tongue)

·        Ticklish on the palate when cleaning the insides of the upper teeth

·        Large tongue

·        A dip or line down the tongue

·        A heart shaped tongue (either the tip is heart shaped or the back near the throat is heart shaped)

·        Very tense patients

·        Tongue gets stuck in the suction and/or hits the dental instruments often

·        Tightly gripping the arm rests during the appointment

Similarly, if you are the patient that suffers from any or all these things you may experience anxiety leading up to and during your appointments.  It can often feel like a loss of control which makes you very tense.  You are probably a mouth breather.

Why does mouth breathing effect a dental appointment?

I cannot begin to tell you how many times I have had to remind my patient to breathe through their nose while getting their teeth worked on.  I now know they were struggling to breathe the entire appointment.  That anxiety on the body sends the patient into fight or flight mode.  Then a tailspin of other things happen which can include profuse sweating, choking, gagging, increased heart rate, and deep labored breathing… all of which can ultimately result in some degree of a panic attack.

No wonder so many suffer anxiety at just the thought of going to the dentist.  I want to assist you or someone you know in overcoming this!  Myofunctional therapy can restore natural breathing, improve if not overcome a gag reflex, and ease dental anxiety. 

I would love to have the opportunity to talk to you more along with answer any questions you have.  Please contact me for a free assessment!