Afraid of Dental Injections?

Afraid of Dental Injections?

It is quite common for patients to be afraid of dental injections and needles. Actually, it would be quite odd for anyone to say they enjoy having a needle in their mouth. At South Tampa Smiles, we understand these fears and do our best to alleviate any anxieties associated with having dental treatment. We make sure each person feels at ease and comfortable throughout the entire process of any dental procedures needed.

To help with the discomfort of having an injection, we use a topical anesthetic, known as benzocaine, to numb your gums before using the needle. It is applied with a cotton swab or q-tip to the soft tissues surrounding the site of injection and left in place for about a minute. This numbs the area so the patient doesn’t actually feel the needle gliding into their gums.

Along with the use of local anesthesia to numb the area, we use a slow and steady approach when giving injections. If the local anesthetic is given too quickly, it can often cause discomfort to the patient. Another reason for less painful injections during your dental treatment is the use of less blunted needles. The days have long gone since dentists were using large, blunted needles that were quite painful for the patient.

We also have nitrous oxide (laughing gas) available. Nitrous oxide helps calm the patient and ease dental fears. Sedation dentistry is sometimes referred to as sleep dentistry and we serve many patients throughout South Tampa and Florida looking for sleep dentistry or dental sedation procedures. Read more about sedation dentistry.

If you are afraid of dental injections, make your next dental procedure appointment with comfort in knowing that we take every step available to ensure a pleasant experience with minimal discomfort. The first step toward getting any dental treatment that you may have been putting off due to your dental anxiety is to have a thorough examination with x-rays and cleaning. Contact South Tampa Smiles for your next appointment at (813)  289 – 0560. Ask our friendly staff any questions or concerns. We are here to help.