Exposure to injections

[nphobe]

Hi all,

My local dentist practice knows that I'm a v. nervous patient, and that the main issue is with injections. My dentist recently advised that I go see the hygienist. The same dentist did a filling, so she already gave me an injection. She suggested that I also get LA for the hygienist appointment, but I told her that I'm much more afraid of the needle than the discomfort of a clean (it's a 30 minute clean so I don't think it's a deep clean). She said it would have the added benefit of making injections be not such a big deal for me.

Just talking about the idea of an injection in my mouth brings me out in a cold sweat, but I can also see her logic because they really aren't such a big deal. Is this standard practice?

 

[Gordon]

I can see the logic behind it, it's not standard practice.
You might get a better job done by the hygienist if they know you're not hurting, it's human nature to try to avoid hurting somebody if they're exhibiting signs of pain...

 

[merlin]

@Gordon Are there special injections used for hygiene work? I’ve read in some places that they need to anaesthetise the gum tissue, which involves more painful injections…

 

[Gordon]

No, just the usual.