Relaxation Techniques

After the course which we talk about relaxation I want to write about some useful relaxion techniques which I searched. (( researches have shown that fear of pain is the main reason people avoid seeing the dentist. Even those who schedule regular dental appointments cite fear of pain as being a significant issue)) Studies have shown that relaxation techniques can help reduce levels of stress hormones as well as pain and anxiety. People who practice these techniques often discover that their " fear responses" diminish over time. Here are some relaxation techniques for dental phobia.Relaxation techniques are easy to learn, although you have to practice in order for them to be effective. Many therapists and dentists incorporate these techniques in their practices and will teach you the best ways to begin. (*While some dentists give glasses which you can watch DVDs or headphones).

Deep breathing - Also called diaphragmatic breathing, this technique involves breathing slowly and deeply. It floods the body with oxygen and other chemicals that relax the central nervous system and help reduce discomfort.( I usually do this it works for a short time:)
Progressive relaxation - With this technique, you consciously try to relax each muscle in the body, starting with the toes and moving all the way up to the head (or vice versa). Progressive relaxation reduces muscular tension, which can help to reduce pain.
Guided imagery - This is a simple mental technique in which a health care professional helps you imagine having a pleasant experience or being in a soothing environment. The idea is to create as much mental detail as you possibly can. You may find that you become so involved in the mental images that you're hardly aware of what the dentist is doing.

Sedation- Moreover there are some sedations such as diazepam; to relax central nervous system. Beside some dentists avoid oral sedatives because drowsiness may last for hours.
Hypnosis- It is simply a technique that creates a profound state of relaxation. The effects of hypnosis are similar to the effects of meditation, and you may be able to practice on your own. Many therapists practice hypnosis, and some dentists are familiar with the technique.

People who neglect their dental health because they are phobic may want to see a mental health professional. Psychologists and psychiatrists often use a technique called systematic desensitization, in which patients are exposed gradually, in a controlled and careful manner, to the things they're afraid of. This is an effective treatment for many types of phobias, including dental phobia.

I find some information about" Pain Control" I mean the medical way to relax :)
* Topical anesthetics - Applied with a Q-tip, topical anesthetics are used routinely to numb an area of the mouth or gum prior to the injection of a local anesthetic.
* Laser drills - Recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), laser drills may cause far less pain than conventional mechanical models. They can be used to prepare some cavities for fillings.
* Electronic anesthesia - This may be used as an alternative to uncomfortable injections of local anesthetic. The dentist puts electrodes on the cheeks, which transmit a numbing electrical current into the jaw. Some patients report that electronic anesthesia is more effective than medications.
* Cranial electrotherapy stimulation - This is another form of electronic anesthesia. Electricity passes into the brain and causes feelings of relaxation and " heaviness." The patient controls the intensity of the current, and can increase or decrease it as needed to control pain.
* Nitrous oxide (laughing gas) - This is one of the most common forms of in-office pain control. The gas helps people feel relaxed or even euphoric, and the effects wear off quickly once the gas is turned off. Nitrous oxide generally is used as a supplement to other drugs, not as a replacement.
* Electronic anesthesia delivery systems - Many people dread the shot of anesthetic that precedes many dental procedures. It's not the injection itself that causes most of the pain, but the pressure of the fluid entering the body's tissues. Electronic delivery systems, which are attached to a syringe, adjust the flow of anesthetic so that it finds a route through the tissues that causes the least discomfort.
* Intravenous sedation - This technique usually is reserved for patients who are undergoing extensive dental procedures, although it can be used for those who are simply too anxious to have dental treatment done otherwise. A tranquilizer is injected into a vein in the hand or arm. The patient will be awake, but deeply relaxed.
* General anesthesia - This involves putting the patient to "sleep" for the duration of the procedure. Some dentists have the equipment and staff to perform general anesthesia in the office, but it's often done in a hospital setting. Because of the risks of side effects, including drops in blood pressure or heartbeat irregularities (arrhythmias), general anesthesia should be only used when other forms of sedation or pain control aren't enough.
These are my research about the relaxion techs...

What can you do about your dental fear?

Today I just find out some relaxion techniques..According to my researches people can make themselves feel relaxed by thinking positive things, that is the most important point because whatever you do whatever you say it is not important first patient has to believe that "it wont hurt". In other words phobia is in our minds.There is a reality that thinking positive brings big power. For example a person who has cancer can make his/her self get well.. How? by thinking positive! after that, medical studies can work, if he/she doesnt believe what can doctors do? So we have to command our brain. We are the controlers!

The first thing you can do is to realize that your dental fear can be overcome. Fear is a learned behavior which, therefore, can be unlearned. Patient-centered behavior modification that treats you as a whole person, not as a set of teeth can help you overcome your fears. This will obviously take a team approach between you and your dentist and his/her staff. Communication is the key. You must feel comfortable expressing your fears and concerns and have a sense that you are being listened to. If you feel that the Dr. and/or staff if not genuinely concerned and listening, then absolutely feel comfortable with seeking out referrals to other offices. You should never compromise the level of communication that you feel is necessary to give you a sense of control over your situation in the dental office.

A Sense of Control
Explanation and clarification of any and all procedures proposed is your right as a patient. If you have a question about a particular procedure, ask it! Empower yourself with the knowledge to alleviate fear of the unknown. You should have input into treatment decisions and choices. You should be honest with your dentist regarding how much treatment you think you can tolerate at first. As you build confidence in yourself and trust in the team that is caring for you, the length of your appointment and the amount of work accomplished will increase.

Relaxation Techniques
If you feel tense in the chair, the easiest way to relax is through forms of physical relaxation. A relaxed body promotes a clear and relaxed mind. The human body cannot be physically relaxed and mentally anxious at the same time! The brain won't process these feelings simultaneously. Physical relaxation methods are easier to accomplish at first as compared to cognitive ones, so practice forms of physical relaxation first. (Take a deep breath, this is what i do when i sit that chair:)

Predictable Pain Control
Modern dentistry has many new techniques with regards to the administration of local anesthetics to block any possibility of pain. There are many people who have anatomical or biologic variations that do require more individualized techniques in order to predictably achieve proper local anesthesia. This variation must be respected and communicated to your dentist. All injections should be given slowly . The needle itself is not the major cause of discomfort, but in fact, it is the pressure and volume of the fluids being injected that causes the discomfort. I know the feeling, i had many times:) There are even computer-controlled machines that are now available to standardize the injection process and make it more predictable than the conventional hand-held syringe.

Come on everyone likes smiling!!!
TAKE A DEEP BREATH AND THAN TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR FEARS!!

Researches has shown that fear of pain is the main reason...

Hii it was a hard week for me because I was ill and I was at home :( today I feel better and I will talk about last week's interview.
After talking people I draw a conclusion that most of people has different phobias but nearly all have a phobia.(Today i checked the statistics too). Why? I found out many many reasons. For example when we were child, we used to be threaten by our family that if we did not brush our teeth we would have been taken to the dentist. This has created a sense of fear and phobia about dentists for all of us.When you have pain you will go dentist so dont have pain dont go dentist, dentist seems like monsters. Some people strongly complain about the equpments such as rubber gloves, dentist's uniform, the smell of the room and most people donot want to wait in the waiting room because it makes them anxious more..They think that a massage chair or ear plugs which they can listen music or a television which make their mind far from the operation in the mouth will be better. In addition some people want to communicate with dentist while the operation goes in other words they want dentists to explain what is he/she doing, they want an explanation for every operation. These things can really be useful..I think it is related with envoriment and depens on dentists. Dentists must have a good comminucation with people because any bad behavior can cause a bad experience for patients and they generally do not forget:). Kind dentists, candy made equipments:), good poster designs, a good presentation for dentists such as hand books which make people smile while they are going to dentists can solve this problem.Graphic design can solve the dental phobia too..

the day in the museum

These are some tooth pastes and tooth polish which were used past years..


This is the oldest dental chair, it seems frightening..


This impressed me a lot, they are the first tooth brushes..


These are the oldest dental equipments..


These dental equipments were used to pull out tooth, they are big and rough..

As a part of my research I went to the BDA museum (The British Dental Association). The British Dental Association was founded in 1880 and today is the UK's largest membership organisation for dentists and dental students, representing two-thirds of the profession. Membership is voluntary and currently stands at 23,000. This museum has the largest collections and houses over 30,000 objects, images telling the story of how dentistry has developed from a marketplace spectacle to the complex procedures and treatment today. From 19th century dental floss to toothache cures, drills to toothpaste adverts, there was more to discover than I imagine.. I took some amazing photos. The most interesting thing was toothbrush for me and the equipment which pulls out the teeth ughhh ugly!! Here are some OLD FASHION equipments..Next step I will compare the old fashion equipments and the new ones..To see the technological development and see that there is nothing to fear anymore..

interview with people

To research about oral-health I prepared some questions and made a survey. My aim was to learn why people afraid of dentists. Where comes the dental phobia? From childhood or because of a bad experience they had from past and how can we stop this phobia? After the interview i understood that i am not alone because most of people afraid of dentists..Everyone has another story and i find out very interesting phobias...Here are my questions and people's answers:
1-Do you go to your routine dental care?
Twice a year as my insurance covers.

2-What are the things that you do not like about dentists? For example:
Dentist's uniform, the smell in the dentists, the equipments
(drilling), the chair etc...
The sounds of equipment and the smell of dentist's rubber gloves

3-What do you think, why people are afraid of dentists?
The idea of having a drill in our mouth and it can be painful. The
treatment occurs so close to our important senses such us hearing, smelling,
and seeing that the experience tends to be exaggerated in our memory.
Simply childhood memory.

4-In your opinion, what must be changed in dentists not to make
people afraid of them?
It will be nice if all the equipments are soundless. The dentist definitely
stop using rubber gloves because it makes me feel sick. Atmosphere is
important.

5-Do you know about new technology in dentists. What I mean is new
equipments (e.g. lazer technique) ?
None.

6-Can you tell me your ideal dentist?Create new dent chair new pink
sugar made equipments, a good smell in the room, a new uniform for
dentist. Just imagine, it is for free:)
Would be nice if the chair is massage chair and have foot massage or hands
massage done at the same time. They can turn down the room lightning and
only use spot light, burn lavender scent, and play a relaxing music just
like a massage place.

7-Did you have any bad experience? If so, can you tell me about it?
When I was a kid, I was too afraid of the dentist that I pee on the dentist
chair.

8-When do you go to the dentist? When do you have a pain or do you go only
for
check up?
Check up and cleaning. Twice a year, six months apart.

9-Why do you think our teeth are important? Health or beauty reasons ?
Both health and beauty. Teeth are as important as eyes which people see
when they talk so we tend to cautious how it looks. I also heard that not
having healthy teeth has a big impact on our health later on. Also, we want
to be able to eat whatever we want and enjoy the meals. Eating is an
important activity for human being as much as sleeping, pooping etc.

10-Does the condition of teeth effect the communication between people?
I do not have bad teeth for now so I do not have insecurity about it.
However, when I see people whose gum is brown, I feel bad for them. If I
have a brown color gum, I probably do not enjoy singing Karaoke and open my
mouth really big.
Yoshiko from Japan..

Comparison

Yes! I will start with Michael C. Place who was born in North Yorkshire England in 1969. He graduated from Newcastle Collage in 1990. He started work at The Designers Republic Sheffied in 1992. First years he was designing record covers because that was his dream...Now when you look at his archives you can see lots of poster designs. His favorite font is Helvetica and he is a fan of thypography. I really like his poster designs because he generally uses only letters and colours in his designs. He designed a poster for Helvetica film and an exibition poster for Helvetica again. He creates spots on his poster by using colours and letters this makes his posters more and more attractive. You look and think for a while to understand what he created with spots.. This guy is my favorite, we have common points that we both like Helvetica and thypography:)


One more graphic designer is from Turkey. His name is Mengu Ertel. He was born in 1931 (Istanbul). He is a good poster designer too. He had lots of exibitions in Turkey. In 1974 there was a competition for a film festival poster and he got Cannes award from that competition. Mengu Ertel has a common point with Michael Place. He uses colours to create some visuals. Genereally he doesn't like using photohraphs. His equipments are colours and letters. That is the one intresting common point between them. It is intresting because there is too much generation difference..

In any case designing is getting more important day by day! Design is the best way to explain your motions:) new generations bring new, bright, different and FRESH ideas..

Mapping the Oral Health Brief

Research for Oral Health

First of all i want to give some important details about why some people afraid of dentists (as i draw a conclusion).

Afraid of the dentist?
Many people feel anxious at the prospect of seeing the dentist and, for some, their fear prevents them from visiting for years. However, most practices are sympathetic and various methods of help are available.
Why we're nervous??
An unpleasant experience in the past may be the cause of the anxiety. Other common concerns include fear of injections, the anaesthetic not working, concerns about unnecessary treatment and anxiety about cross-infection...

If your anxiety is very strong you may wish to explore some of the following approaches:

Relaxation techniques:
Sedation
Hypnosis
Psychotherapy
Acupuncture
While i was talking my dentist for my research he told me about these techniques, because i am also one of the people who afraid of dentists.However there are many ways for us that we did not try because of our fears..

What is dental phobia exactly? (research usa)
Dental phobia is the serious, often paralyzing fear of seeking dental care. It has been reliably reported that 50% of the American population does not seek regular dental care. An estimated 9-15% of all Americans avoid much needed care due to anxiety and fear surrounding the dental experience. This translates to some 30 - 40 million people so afraid of dental treatment that they avoid it altogether.

In terms of your dental health and overall well-being, this can have serious ramifications. Besides chronically infected gums and teeth which can affect your medical status, your ability to chew and digest can be seriously compromised. Without healthy gums and teeth, your speech can be affected as well. Your self confidence can be compromised if you are insecure about your breath and smile. This can lead to serious limitations in both your social and business environments.

I realised one more thing while i was searching about dental care, the most people cares about their smile i mean their beautiy..Dental care is related whith cosmetics, beauty, smile etc..

The other important point is the new technology..Many people do not know about the new equipments because they never go their routine cares so they dont have the ability to see the new technology..I want to share my research about lazer tec.
The most intresting design is the lazer system, only the use light to do the operation:) the photographs i attached are lazer equipments..
You see the dentist is not a monster, the equipments are not destroyer and the chair is not the electric chair, and taking an appointment is not like to have a meeting with the devil:) (check the photos i attached u will understand:), (chair is my design, dentist is my dream dentist and equipments are real:S





On the next step i will send my interview with people...