The Gentle Cure for Dental-Phobia

Lancaster Online reports that Restore, a $100,000 study that delves into the relationship between dental-phobia and past trauma in life, is making significant strides toward reducing dental-phobia. The study involved 150 lower-income individuals who were exposed to one of three different dental models designed to reduce anxiety - environmental, interpersonal and relaxation-oriented.

The goal of the researchers was to find out why some people experience so much fear when they're in the dental chair. It's a particularly intriguing issue, considering how important dentistry is to one's overall health.

Victims of physical and mental abuse often "live in a heightened state of trauma every day," says Colleen Elmer, executive director of Water Street Health Services. Elmer went on to explain that "phobia of dentists is really common."

Different methods of stress relief explored in the study include progressive muscle relaxation, pre-appointment meetings wherein patients can get an explanation of what to expect, and soothing elements like running water sounds and the scent of lavender.

At Hamlin Dental Group, we're particularly attuned to the nervousness people can feel before a dental appointment. That's why our family dentistry team has always been committed to gentle dentistry since our founding. We're glad to see that the warm, patient-focused care offered at our Northridge, Van Nuys and North Hollywood dentist is catching on, and we hope those who feel nervous about their trip to the dentist will take advantage of our treatment!
 

Be Grateful!

There's no getting around the fact that, if you're reading this, the odds are that you're pretty darn lucky compared to your ancestors. Progress has brought us so many improvements in the quality of our lives in almost every aspect.

Naturally at Hamlin Dental Group our thoughts tend to go to dentistry -- trust us when we say that the field has advanced greatly since you're grandparent's great grandparent's time. Just for starters, it's arguable that the first tooth extraction without significant pain was performed some time in the 1850s. Procaine, better known today as Novocaine, didn't come around until 1905. Before that -- and quite a long time after for people who didn't have access to the most type advanced dentistry -- just about any involved dental procedure was, to put it mildly, difficult.

The good news is that the practice of family dentistry has continued to advance each year. From invisible orthodontia through products like Invisalign to increasingly gentle methods of delivering everything from teeth cleanings to root canals and more, a visit to a Van Nuys, Northridge, or North Hollywood dentist at Hamlin Dental Group is a pretty excellent example of how we're all lucky to benefit from the everything that modern technology as well as medical and dental science, has come up with. It's really something to be grateful for. 

Don't Go 88 Years Between Visits to the Dentist!

At Hamlin Dental Group, our patients know that when they visit our office, they experience warm, gentle dentistry from a skilled and dedicated team. That's why our North Hollywood dentist sees a lot of loyal patients making regular appointments for dental check-ups and various other services. 

However, we understand that there are many people around the world who aren't luck enough to have the same quality dentistry at their disposal as that offered from our dentist in Northridge. That's why we found it so inspiring to read about a team of dentists working with the UK charity SmileStar who treated a number of patients who had never been to a dentist even once before in their lives!

National Geographic reports that last month, Kenya's first-even mobile dental clinic moved into the Westgate Samburu Community, where many people go their entire lives without ever seeing a dentist - and often suffer with painful oral conditions for a number of years. One such person was an 88-year-old Samburu who had two very painful teeth removed, causing her to "smile like a lion", according to writer Paul Steyn.

All in all, there were 500 teeth extracted by the mobile dentists. "I've never seen people so keen to sit in a dental chair and have their teeth removed," said Ali Allport, the conservation and community manager for the Safari Collection - an organization that managed the project on the ground.

Remember, every appointment with Hamlin Dental Group is an opportunity for gentle dentistry that not everyone gets to experience, so don't hesitate to schedule your next check-up today!