Prepare Yourself for Dental Extraction

4 Parts:

Prepare Yourself For A Tooth Extraction

Notes

Questions and Answers

Comments

How many times have you scheduled an appointment to have that tooth extracted? How many times have you courageously sat and waited, only to be sent home by your dentist because of your anxiety? You just have to get ready, or else that tooth will continue to ache and cause problems for you.

First, you must realize that you should not go through a dental extraction if you have high blood pressure. If you push through, in spite of such a condition, after extraction, controlling the bleeding will be difficult. Another danger is that you could go into a hypertensive crisis or extreme high blood pressure. Most local anesthetics contain epinephrine, which can trigger your cardiovascular system to react. ^[1] As such, it is imperative that you advise your dentist first hand of a pre-existing condition.

When you go and visit the dentist for tooth extraction, your tooth will be examined first. Afterwards, your vital signs will be checked. If your blood pressure shoots up because of your nervousness, then you may be asked to relax for a while. After some minutes have passed, your vital signs will be checked again. If your blood pressure is still the same, you may be sent home. What a waste of time and effort as well as money, right? There are people who manifest high blood pressure when they are nervous, making it impossible for dental extraction. What can you do to help yourself go through this?

1. 1
   When your tooth and gums are inflamed, consult the dentist first.

   

   He or she will likely prescribe an anti-inflammatory agent for you

   .

   If the inflammation is coupled with pain and fever, you might be prescribed pain relievers, anti-pyretic medicine and antibiotics to control the infection. You may have to take this for a week or ten days, and come back when the inflammation subsides.

   Advertisement

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help
2. 2
   Do not think about what the dentist will do or the instruments he will use on you

   .

   

   Thinking about it will only make you anxious on the day of your tooth extraction. Your dentist is a professional. You can rest assured that he will do what is needed to help you get rid of that bad tooth.

   Advertisement

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help
3. 3
   Deep breathing usually helps when one is anxious about an event or situation

   .

   

   Ask your dentist if you can walk around his office before the dental extraction. Familiarization with the facility may help you calm your nerves.

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help
4. 4
   Bring a friend with you on the day of your tooth extraction

   .

   

   When you bring along a friend, chances are, you will catch up on each other's life's events. By doing so, you won't be anxiously waiting for your turn in the dental chair.

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help
5. 5
   Bring a book if you cannot bring a friend

   .

   

   There may be times that a friend cannot come with you. As such, a good book that you are really interested in will help to pass away the time and help you relieve your anxiety. This diverts your attention from the extraction. You can also try reading the magazines that are always present in the dentist's waiting room.

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help
6. 6
   iPod

   .

   Bring music and earbuds. This will calm you, and also drown out the sound of dental tools, which are the worst thing. Many dentist office had headphones and music available, but if you bring your own, you can program music you know makes you calm.

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help
7. 7
   Ask the exact time of your dental appointment

   .

   

   Some people get more anxious when they are made to wait. As such, you can ask a specific time and come about five minutes before your dentist's schedule. This way, you don't have to wait long.

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help
8. 8
   Mind conditioning

   .

   Focus on the fact that if you don't get your tooth extracted, the pain and inflammation will not go away. It is better to brave through a day in the dentist's chair than go through a week with a painful tooth and gums, which can often lead to very serious health issues. Weigh the pros and cons of having your tooth extracted. When you realize that it's better to have your bad tooth extracted, relaxation will likely follow as you look forward to days without a toothache.

   Was this step helpful? Yes | No| I need help

• Cardiovascular Effects of Epinephrine in Hypertensive Dental Patients; National Center for Biotechnology Information, March 2002.

Mentally preparing for a tooth extraction?

You're likely worried about any potential problems or pain with your procedure. Dentists are highly trained professionals who care about the procedures and won't do anything that will harm you. Keep in mind that they know what they're doing, and it should calm you down for the extraction. They will also give you a detailed list of things you should do after the extraction to keep the area clean and safe from infections.

I need to know how can I prepare myself for becoming a dentist?

This is a school project on careers.

VisiHow QnA. This section is not written yet. Want to join in? Click EDIT to write this answer.

If you have problems with any of the steps in this article, please ask a question for more help, or post in the comments section below.

Comments

1. ↑ Cardiovascular Effects of Epinephrine in Hypertensive Dental Patients; National Center for Biotechnology Information, AHRQ Publication Number 02-E005, March 2002. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD.