What is it about visiting the dentist that can make the bravest of us shudder, even with the hope of relieving tooth pain? Perhaps it’s a combination of the sights, sounds and scents of a dental office. These special effects certainly don’t help to minimize the anxiety we may feel.
Most patient chairs in dental offices today are fairly simple and no longer have a full set of power tools attached. Remember those? Still, the shining light in your face and trays full of sharp, metal gadgets can be rather intimidating. Try convincing yourself it’s just an electric toothbrush, a tongue scraper and some oxygenating toothpaste – that might help. It’s not entirely clear why these sessions need to be on display for all other visitors to see, but dental offices often resemble an open assembly line of angst.
The unique musical sounds that play in a dental office are less than relaxing. Some of the more popular hits are: “The Sounds of Suction,” “Drilling in the Wind” and “You’ve Lost That Lower Lip Feeling.” Let’s not forget the helpful lectures on “how to cure gingivitis” or “how to get rid of bad breath.” If only there was a way to hear the necessary instructions of the dental staff while wearing noise-canceling headphones. White noise at high decibels would be an acceptable alternative to the usual sounds.
Let’s not forget one of the most distinguishable features of a visit to the dentist: the smell. It hits you in the face the moment you enter the front door. Eugenol, the active ingredient in clove oil, is the primary culprit. It’s been used as a numbing agent since medieval times and we might think it has a pleasant odor if it weren’t attached to the dental experience. Of course, there are other ingredients in the typical dental musk like: latex, bonding agents, antiseptics and, speaking of medieval, tooth and bone dust.
If spending as little time as possible in this fun house experience is a priority for you, then make a solid commitment to all of that great advice you received as a child: brush and floss regularly, avoid too much sugar and for goodness sakes….BRUSH YOUR TONGUE! An easy fix, but serious miss. Use your oral care products like The Original TUNG Brush and TUNG Gel. This is one area where an ounce of prevention is totally worth the investment. Trust us.
