Dental Anxiety

Between 30 and 40 million Americans experience dental anxiety. At Plaza Dental Group in West Des Moines, Iowa, the dental team uses the innovative NuCalm® solution to ease dental anxiety. NuCalm naturally relaxes your mind and body, providing a comfortable and stress-free experience. If you suffer from dental anxiety, call the office today or use the online booking feature.

What is dental anxiety?

Dental anxiety is a common condition, characterized by an intense fear of the dentist or dental procedures. If you have dental anxiety, you might avoid preventive screenings, like X-rays and teeth cleanings. Problems like cavities and gum disease might go unnoticed as a result.

What are the symptoms of dental anxiety?

Telltale signs of dental anxiety include:

• Heart palpitations
• Panic attacks
• Sweaty palms
• Low blood pressure

As your anxiety worsens, you might also start crying or feel faint (lightheaded).

What causes dental anxiety?

Dental anxiety occurs for various reasons, including:

• Fear of needles and drills
• History of generalized anxiety disorder
• Trust issues
• Previous traumatic dental experiences
• Discomfort with the invasion of your personal space

You might also experience dental anxiety if you have low pain tolerance or a sensitive gag reflex.

How is dental anxiety diagnosed?

At Plaza Dental Group, the team diagnoses dental anxiety during an in-office consultation.

Before developing a custom treatment plan, your dentist reviews your dental records and asks about your anxiety, including what triggers it and if there’s anything that helps make it better. 

Next, your dentist completes an oral exam and takes a series of digital X-rays. They move at a comfortable pace and communicate clearly throughout, ensuring you know exactly what's happening.

After discussing your needs, your dentist explains what to expect and answers your questions. Then, they provide you with a NuCalm device. 

NuCalm is a wearable that uses revolutionary technology to relax your mind and body without drugs.

How does NuCalm for dental anxiety work?

NuCalm is a cutting-edge device that combines concepts from neuropsychobiology and neurobioinformatics into a safe and easy-to-use clinical solution. Specifically, NuCalm uses a cranial electrotherapy stimulation to bring your brain waves into the first stage of sleep.

Bringing your brain waves into the first sleep stage causes you to relax without using narcotics or controlled substances. There’s also no downtime or recovery period. After your appointment, simply remove the NuCalm device, and go about your normal routine. 

Is dental treatment with NuCalm safe?

Treatment of dental anxiety with the NuCalm device is safe and well-tolerated. In fact, studies show that cranial electrotherapy causes a neurological reboot that improves sleep and helps people better manage stress.

Call Plaza Dental Group to learn more about the treatment of dental anxiety or use the online booking feature today.