• Home
  • About Us
  • Work With Us
  • Social Media News
  • Privacy & Terms
  • Thunderbolt Social Media
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Dangerous Cupcake Lifestyle

  • Travel
  • Food, Wine & Cocktails
    • Recipes
    • Wine
    • Cocktails
    • Cupcakes
  • Home & Life
    • Your Home & Lifestyle
    • Dogs
    • Crafts
    • Cars
    • Technology
    • Cool Things
  • Disney & Marvel
    • Disney
    • Marvel
  • NASCAR
  • Entertainment
You are here: Home / Lifestyle / Dental Anxiety: Dealing with Dental Insurance and Providers

Dental Anxiety: Dealing with Dental Insurance and Providers

August 2, 2022 By Donna Biroczky Leave a Comment

Tweet
Share
Pin
0 Shares

If you have dental anxiety, you know how stressful a dentist appointment can be. Dealing with dental insurance and dentists can just make it worse. As someone who has fairly prominent dental anxiety, here are some tips that will make you feel less alone, and hopefully help make that dental anxiety easier.

dental anxiety

First though, what exactly IS dental anxiety?

There’s a clinical term for the fear of dentists: dentophobia. (There’s also odontophobia, but I only saw that one on Google, I’ve never heard it used.) It’s all about fear and anxiety about visiting the dentist.

If you don’t like the dentist, you’re pretty typical. None of us really like to get dental work done, even if we say “hey, it’s fixing the problem.” But if you find yourself incredibly stressed about visiting the dentist, to where you don’t visit at all, or you need to take deep breaths to physically lay still in the chair, you’ve likely got dental anxiety.

It’s important to add here, I am NOT any professional in the field of therapy (any longer) and I was never a dentist or anyone in the dental industry at all. What I’m sharing with you is NOT medical advice in any way, shape or form.

With that out of the way…people with dental anxiety are often very shaky, jumpy or rigid while in the dental chair. We can develop headaches from holding our jaws tight. We may be so jumpy that we accidentally bite the dentist and we may require special accommodations in order to get work done.

Dental anxiety is not just being nervous. It’s being so nervous that you’re freaking yourself out.

What can I do about dental anxiety?

  • Tell your dentist and dental team, first and foremost. You are paying them to take care of you, so give them ALL the information they need to do it in the best way possible. It’s not just about your mouth, but your whole body.
  • Ask questions about your dental work. If it helps, ask for photos or to see the equipment. (I realize that not everyone wants to see a needle, but the reality is often not as bad as the imagination portrays.) Ask about prep before the procedure, what will happen during the procedure, and all of the after, not just care but how you will feel, look like and how it will impact your life while it heals.
  • Even if you are concerned solely about a routine exam or cleaning, these are still valid concerns. Do not let anyone make you feel otherwise. If a dentist or staff members makes me feel ridiculous or dismisses or diminishes my concern, I do not let them do the work, and I find a new dentist.
  • If you need to find a new dentist, do a fact-finding phone call. Explain your dental anxiety enough for them to understand what they’ll need to do. They may not be the place for you, and some may tell you that. You may save yourself a visit and/or co-pay by weeding out a facility on the phone.
  • Take someone with you, if at all possible. They can encourage you and distract you both before/after. If they are a legal driver, even better. This gives you the option of different sedation if your provider finds it necessary.
  • Do your best to relax. I know that the last thing that helps someone relax is being told to do that, but it’s still going to benefit you if you can. You will be able to hold your mouth open further and listen to their instructions better.
  • Speaking of holding your mouth open further — I broke my upper jaw/cheek bone years ago. I’m unable to open my mouth as far as they’d like, so I make sure every single person in the room is aware of that. There are pieces of equipment they can use to help make it at least a little easier, and if none are appropriate, they are at least aware and won’t get frustrated with you.
  • If you sense frustration before they start, talk to them about it. It’s okay to ask them “I have extreme dental anxiety. I will do my best to do what you need to get this tooth fixed, but I also get super nervous and jittery. Are you good with that?”
  • Handle insurance issues BEFORE you get to the office. Make sure you’re aware of any co-pays or deductibles in advance, and ask about contingency or plan B, just in case something goes wrong. The worst time to be handed an $800 bill is when you’re numb and drooling and just want to get home.
  • If you are left with any cash outlay, be prepared with your debit card, credit card, or CareCredit card. (That’s a special credit card with just a few purposes, and it’s an odd mix: doggy vet care, and human dental/vision care. Strange, yes, I know, BUT it’s a game changer, as it’s interest-free for a period of time.) If you don’t have funds/cards or don’t want to use them, inquire in advance about a payment plan. A lot of offices offer interest-free monthly payment plans, but handle this before the work is started.
  • Know about the pain before it hurts. Ask if it requires solely novocaine, or if you can get nitrous/gas. Often, insurance will not cover nitrous but it can be worth the extra cost. (Last time I paid for it, I believe it was about $110, which for me was worth it.) You probably can drive home after nitrous, which makes it even more appealing, but inquire beforehand. (Again, this is NOT medical advice.) General sedation means you will entirely be asleep, so you will need someone there to take you home. I’ve had offices tell me that that person must be present the entire time of your procedure, not just picking you up; others will call the person 10-20-30 minutes in advance. Ask about this.
  • Ask your insurance about coverage of nitrous and/or sedation in advance also. Some will cover depending on your personal medical situation. (For example, we had one cover it years ago for my child with autism, because it was a medical necessity that he get the dental work done but autism doesn’t necessarily allow a child to cooperate as someone neurotypical would.)
  • Tell the dentist your personal experience as it applies. I sometimes still feel pain after the typical number of novocaine shots, so now they wait until the initial ones are working, and they give me another. Also, while I do not hate needles and I can tolerate a stick or blood draw without an issue, needles IN MY MOUTH are a different story. They use numbing gel where the shots will go, which does decrease pain somewhat.
  • Be sure that the dentist is aware of any/all health issues you have/may have, any current treatment you’re getting and any medication you’re on, in addition to any allergies. One omission could mean a reaction, a contraindication or worse.
  • Let your pride go away. Now is not the time to feel you need to be brave. Bravery is great, but if you need headphones or darker glasses or whatever, speak up. They won’t always be able to accommodate you, but at least you can ask. One of my prior dentist offices let me choose the music; another gave me headphones, and another had a TV in my line of sight. If these make the difference between you getting through the appointment or not, speak up.
  • Kick your shoes off. Seriously, sometimes little things can be a game changer. Put a blanket on your legs. Hold a fidget. Try to relax. You may want to cut back on your coffee consumption, as long as you don’t get a raging caffeine headache in exchange. And drink your water. Hydration’s important…just hit up the restroom before you get in the chair. (And if you know you can’t make it through the long appointment, tell them to pick a spot halfway that you can get up safely, if at all possible.)

I know that’s a lot, but don’t go into a dentist office unprepared. We all have our things. Me, I am nervous pulling into the lot. I yell at a lot of cars on the way there. (In my defense, I save it for those going 45 in the fast lane and other dumb or unsafe things. There are lot of those anymore.) I talk to the hubs via text until I can’t see my phone anymore; he indulges me, though I’m sure there’s a little bit of ‘really?’ going on. I can get kinda panicky, which makes me hyperventilate; luckily, haven’t had that happen since a tool broke off my mouth during a root canal back in 2001. True story. That stuff happens.

I also cannot stand the disgusting gross gel they use to make molds. I have a really low gag tolerance, so I make sure they know this and don’t tilt my chair back as far as they might normally. I’d rather be upright then having that stuff anywhere closer to the back of my throat than it absolutely has to be. I also do not like mint or cherry flavors for their cleaning procedures or anything. Sometimes I have to suck it up, as this is minor stuff, BUT you can still ask if there are other flavors. (One place used to keep bubble gum flavor on hand for me! There are really cool dentists out there. Unfortunately, they retire or you get new insurance and they’re no longer in-network. Dental work is expensive, so if faced with paying 50% or 80%, I prefer the 80% in-network fees.)

At a recent appointment, I was getting a pesky tooth examined by a new specialist. I told her in advance about my autoimmune disorder and my dental anxiety. She seemed to forget it within 60 seconds, because she was poking around and I jumped. She pulled her hands back and rudely said “What?? I’m not even doing anything!” Yes, the mirror was hitting my infected tooth…and again, I just told you I’m really nervous. Her attitude was NOT appreciated, and I did not have her do the work. This is YOUR DECISION to make. I’m sure she billed my insurance, so there may be a call necessary coming up to be sure I’m allowed a second opinion, and if not, I will explain the situation and find out my options. If someone is rude or mean to you while examining, why risk them being the same and disregarding your pain level when they’re pulling a tooth, you know?

In the end, dental anxiety can be debilitating but doesn’t need to prevent you from getting proper dental care. Whatever you do though, remember this: you are not alone, and you should speak up so your providers can do all that’s necessary to help you get through this, as a TEAM.

Don’t feel silly. Don’t let someone blow it off. If someone can’t handle it, there are other dental offices out there. You are worth the time to find someone you are comfortable with.

Tweet
Share
Pin
0 Shares

Filed Under: Lifestyle

Previous Post: « Looking for Cheapest Exercise Equipment? Total Body+ is Multiple Machines in One
Next Post: D23 Expo Marvel Panel News: Something for Everyone »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Follow Us

dangerous cupcake lifestyle club 33 profile
I’m Donna, and I’m not a mommy blogger.
I’m a Gen X mom of four, a Marvel geek and creator of Dangerous Cupcake, a Southern California lifestyle blog dedicated to life after the kids grow up. As my kids enter different stages of their lives, I get to do the same, having fun, loving Disney, watching Marvel, and not letting my age define anything. Phase 2 of life is pretty amazing, and midlife isn’t a bad word. Join me in changing focus and enjoying life during our next adventure, without totally starting over. However you do it, life is short, live a little dangerously.
Donna@DangerousCupcakeLifestyle.com

We are an Amazon affiliate, which means some Amazon links you click may be our affiliate links. In that case, we may make some money IF you purchase using those links or other affiliate links.
We appreciate you!

STUFF WE WRITE ABOUT

Footer

dangerouscupcakelifestyle

Travel. Food. Wine. Cocktails. 🏎️🐕‍🦺🦮
Gen X mom with lifestyle & wellness inspo for life after your kids grow up.

Donna B. | Southern California Blogger
Out here in Rancho Cucamonga, there are a lot of h Out here in Rancho Cucamonga, there are a lot of hidden gems for foodies. One of them is the Haven City Market, and my favorite place to eat there is Belly & Snout. Not only were they on Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, but they are a main stay of the market with their Filipino-inspired take on American comfort food. Their grilled cheese sandwiches are AH-mazing, but I prefer their bowls.

This pic shows you what my pork belly bowl looked like. Pork belly sits on a bed of fluffy jasmine rice, along with garlic chili aioli, red radishes, green onion and just the right amount of pickled red onion. The pork is perfectly cooked, with a bit of a crisp and rendering of the fat that melts in your mouth. I get it every time!

Steve got the pork belly grilled cheese, made of almost the same ingredients but sandwiched between bread and covered with pepper jack cheese. SO good. 

And of course, if you get spicy food of any realm, you need to get a drink from Native Son bar. The drink you see in this pic is the Rancho Water, made with tequila, passion fruit and citrus…and it’s just sparkly enough to be absolutely refreshing. (I easily drank more than one of these babies. They don’t taste strong, but drink responsibly; good bevs like this sneak up on you!) 

We love to try fancy new restaurants near and far, but sometimes, hanging around close to home is just what we need. Short car ride, casual clothes, fun environment we know we'll enjoy...it's perfect for the kind of weeks we've had lately. Whatever your mood, head over to the market, get your beverage, grab your food, and take it all outside amongst some trees on the green or on a table in the shade. We’ll be back for more….soon!

@havencitymarket @nativesonie @bellynsnout #havencitymarket #ranchocucamonga #inlandempirefood #inlandempire #iefoodie #bellyandsnout #cocktails #porkbelly #filipinofood #comfortfood #ranchofoodies #nativeson #dinersdriveinsanddives @foodnetwork #foodnetwork @guyfieri @dinersdriveins #ranchwater #ranchowater #tequila #grilledcheese #ranchocucamongafoodie @gorestaurantwk #foodblogger #foodblog
The happiest place on earth is where I spend my bi The happiest place on earth is where I spend my birthday every year…as long as it falls on a weekday where everyone else is at work. It’s a magical day, full of food, beverages, shopping and of course, character photo opps. I’d been in line to see Loki, but he took a break and the lovely God of Thunder took his place. I was not unhappy….but he had a few things to say about my apparent fondness for his brother, the God of Mischief. I mean, the ears. I’d gotten my photo taken with Iron Man earlier in the day and he made me take them off.

Disneyland never disappoints, literally from the second I shared it was my birthday with the parking attendant. I ate lunch at Carthay Circle and had lobster nachos at Lamplight Lounge for dinner. My other favorite part of the day was watching the Halloween lights go on at Cars Land. If you haven’t seen it, be there around 630-ish, it’s so much fun!

I still hear the “Aren’t you a little old for Disney?” and it makes me laugh every single time. There is NO such thing. Disney is for all ages. Even in my midlife, I love it as much as I did when I was younger. Actually, maybe even more. As a Magic Key holder, I wander, enjoying the little things I may not have seen in my days of rushing to get it all done with the kids without one having a meltdown. I’ve already got a list of future reservations, all planned carefully around holidays and events…and of course, the food. Don’t miss the holiday menu! 

@disneyparks @disneyland #disney #disneyland #thor #loki #avengers #marvel #avengerscampus #disneycaliforniaadventure #disneycalifornia #disneyhalloween #disneyhalloweentime #halloweenatdisney #magickeyholder #godofthunder #godofmischief #marvelavengers #disneymom #disneycreator @marvel #carthaycircle #lokiears #mjolnir #purplehair @converse #midlife
This past weekend, we stayed in an AirBnB up in Pi This past weekend, we stayed in an AirBnB up in Pine Cove - Idyllwild to celebrate my birthday. Two nights of peaceful starry skies in the woods, with the only real noise being a random bird knocking on a tree or squirrel running through the huge back yard. We had coffee on the deck in the morning and wine on the deck at night, and in between, lots of relaxing jacuzzi time. We spent Saturday afternoon shopping in downtown Idyllwild, drinking fancy beers at OktoBEERfest sponsored by the Idyllwild Brew Pub and paying a ridiculous $18 per glass for an albeit amazing apple sangria at a wine bistro. 

Idyllwild is a haven. Kind people, a community away from the hustle and bustle that we have even here in the ‘burbs of North Fontana, nestled amongst the pines and beautiful views. Hiking trails, a child’s park that’s easily a place to spend a couple of hours, galleries, restaurants, coffee shops and more — it makes a fantastic place to escape for a family weekend or a romantic getaway. Aaaand if you like crystals and gemstones, you’re in luck. We spent triple-digits in adding to my collection at three different shops. I can’t wait to go back for more!

Our cabin was from New Spirit Vacation Homes but there are so many to choose from. (And we’d definitely stay in the same cabin again!) Prices change throughout the seasons, but it’s a relatively easy drive that took us about 35 minutes from the 10/60 freeways. If you go during the winter, you will need an appropriate vehicle and probably chains; check your cabin’s driveway, too, as some are precarious if you’re not used to it. We have an 4x4 and would love to see the city during the Christmas season!

Put Idyllwild on your list of places to check out for your next mini-vacation!

#idyllwild #idyllwildcalifornia #pinecove #idyllwildca @idyllwildbrewpub #idyllwildbrewpub #oktoberfest @newspiritvacationhomes #travel #midlifetravel #midlife #travelblog #travelblogger #blogger #californiatravel #californiatrip #visitidyllwild #socaltravels #explorecalifornia #californiadestinations #hikecalifornia #sanjacintomountains #sanjacinto #shopidyllwild
Have you ever been to Haven City Market? Not only Have you ever been to Haven City Market? Not only do they have a huge variety of food vendors and restaurants, but they offer live music and shows on their back patio. On September 16, they co-hosted a Mexican Independence Day celebration, along with non-profit Unidos Por La Musica and Pomona business, Music Tree Schools. We watched singing, dancing and folklorico demonstrations with students of all ages….all while enjoying the delicious Rancho Water cocktail from Native Sons inside the market and eating from Belly & Snout. (More on those in another post.) Scroll for a few more photos and videos of the performers.

It’s a family-friendly venue with room to eat with your family while your kids can play in the grass, but if you’re there on a date or without the kids, there is adults-only seating in the bar area as well. They also host a lot of trivia nights during the week, so check out their calendar (via their Instagram, which I’ve linked below) and make some plans to go visit soon!

@havencitymarket @unidosporlamusica_ @musictreeschools #havencitymarket #havencity #mexicanindependenceday #nationalhispanicheritagemonth #balletfolklorico #mexicandance #ranchocucamonga #ranchocucamongafoodie #ranchofoodies #inlandempire #theie #ie #tequila @bellynsnout #bellyandsnout #cocktails #inlandempirefood
In the morning, I’ve gotta have my coffee. Once In the morning, I’ve gotta have my coffee. Once I’ve downed my two cups, I’m on to water. Drinking coffee is the easy part — but drinking water is not. If I don’t have it in front of me, in an easy to carry tumbler that’s also attractive and keeps it cold, it’s not going to happen. 

AND it also has to fit in my car cup holder. A tumbler that does all that can be a unicorn.

Enter zak!’s Sutton 2-in-1 tumbler! In the morning, it carries my coffee (which its double-wall vacuum insulation kept hot for hours), and after, my water, all without changing a lid. This 2-in-1 tumbler has a unique lid that works for both hot beverages and cold. Take your pick, it’s easy to choose which drinking option you want. Sip coffee from the hole on the top, and chug your water (like I do after yoga) or iced coffee from the straw. I takes seconds to switch from one to the other, and it’s also leakproof, so I threw it in my bag as I packed up and my bag remained dry. Bonus: it’s SO easy to clean, and is top-rack dishwasher safe. 

The Sutton tumblers you see in my reel are my new favorites! The 30 oz tumbler comes in several colors, but I chose Jade, and my 20 oz tumbler is Opera. Both are stainless steel and durable. Thanks to zak! for sending them to me! Try one out yourself and see how you don’t have to compromise or overload yourself with more than one tumbler! Be sure to stay hydrated! As we get older, it becomes even more important for our skin and health overall. 

#ZakPartner @zakdesigns #zakdesigns #StainlessSteel #Tumblers #Hydration #Coffee #CoffeeTumbler #StayHydrated #DrinkWater #Coffee #StayCaffeinated #Caffeine #tumbler #tumblersofinstagram #drinkcoffee #drinkcoffeedostuff #yoga #cupholder #togomug #togocup #everydaysmiles #midlifewomen #midlife #skincare #wellness
I saw Jack and Sally yesterday, so now it is offic I saw Jack and Sally yesterday, so now it is officially the Halloween season. The line was a little long, I had a Haunted Mansion Lightning Lane reservation at the same time but it was so worth the wait to see these two favorites! And I still made it on the ride…which had actually broken down and I had to wait but that’s what churros are for. The list of Halloween foods to try is long, but learn from my mistake and place your mobile order early. That pumpkin chai dessert will have to wait until I go again in two weeks. Bring on all the spooky stuff! 

@disneyland #disneyland #disney #halloween #jackandsally #jackskellington #nightmarebeforechristmas #disneyhalloween #magickeyholder #magickey #hauntedmansion #jackskellingtonandsally #disneyhalloweentime #disneycalifornia #disneygram #disneyfan #disneycreator #thisishalloween #mickeyears
Load More... Follow on Instagram
Life is short, so it should never be boring. Dangerous Cupcake Lifestyle is all about enjoying life, specifically midlife, finding yourself after your kids grow up and above all, keeping it real. Live dangerously. We'd love to hear from you -- let's work together!

Copyright © 2023 Dangerous Cupcake and Thunderbolt Social Media

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT