Miami dentists and other health care professionals are looking at a new, all-natural way to curb patient anxiety. According to the August issue of British Dental Journal, a single session of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, could significantly aid those who suffer with doctor related phobias and anxiety. Holistic dentists are embracing these findings, pointing to the fact that CBT is a minimally invasive way to get patients to visit health care professionals in comfort, confidence, and a timely manner.
More on the British Health Journal
The mission of the British Dental Journal (BDJ) is to inform readers of the ideas, opinions, developments, and key issues in dentistry (i). A dental industry standard, the BDJ draws a professional audience of dentists, dental undergraduates, and dental team, hospital, academic, and general practitioners.
The publication released its most recent study on the subject of dentistry and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in late August, detailing the many benefits CBT may offer to patients with mild to severe dentist-related phobias.
The study was based on a survey of 60 patients who routinely relied on intravenous sedation before all dental procedures. Half of the patients were then offered CBT to alleviate their fears, while the remaining half were left untreated. Of the 30 patients offered CBT, 21 accepted the treatment. Of those 21 patients, 19 returned to the dental chair to receive procedures without the use of intravenous sedation. What’s more, these patients were reviewed 10 years later and none had returned to sedation dentistry after having embraced CBT to explore their medical fears.
Holistic Dentistry and CBT
This discovery is important to holistic dentistry professionals for at least two reasons. First, it exemplifies a common problem: patients are afraid to visit health care professionals. Most of these fears are buried deep within the subconscious, rooted in reasons we may not understand. CBT is just one method of overcoming these fears, and it may help patients find the optimistic courage needed to keep healthy through routine check-ups with medical professionals.
The study also indicates that all-natural means of overcoming fear and anxiety are effective. As illustrated by the study, the patients treated by CBT were able to steer-clear of sedation dentistry for at least 10 years. While sedation dentistry helps get fearful patients in the dentist chair, it nevertheless represents a maximally invasive and unnecessarily dangerous means of performing simple procedures. Alternatives to sedation dentistry are considered relatively lower in risk, and CBT is poised to become the front-runner in viable options for patients with dental phobia.
Holistic Dentists: Miami
Holistic Miami dentists offer minimally invasive procedures to patients, emphasizing the importance of overall wellness in achieving oral health. To learn more about holistic dentistry, schedule an appointment with the holistic professionals at Assure a Smile!
Assure a Smile Miami Dentistry: Helping Miami Residents Create Healthy Teeth and Gums for Over 20 Years.
(i) http://www.nature.com/bdj/about/index.html
