We spoke with Dr. María Victoria Cantero about this fear and she told us that for many, visiting the dentist It is a stressful experience.
Children, in particular, may feel overwhelmed by the sounds, smells, and lights of medical equipment, which can increase their anxiety levels.
Health and well-being can be affected by the anxiety generated by a visit to the dentist. Listening to and understanding patients’ needs can help alleviate the fear and apprehension associated with these visits. María Victoria Cantero told us about this.
Q: Could you describe your profession?
I am a dentist and I deal with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of any disease that affects oral health. Both teeth and the structures that surround them.
Q: Within dentistry, what is your specialty?
I am a specialist in Periodontics, I graduated from the Argentine Catholic University, I am in charge of treating the supporting structures of the tooth. An outstanding job for periodontists is to maintain the aesthetics of the gums through gingivectomies (lengthening of teeth) or periodontal plastic surgeries (to cover recessions). Another very important function is to treat those pieces with mobility and depending on the degree, reverse the situation according to each patient.
Q: What do you like most about your job?
What I like most is seeing the patient’s happiness when we manage to meet expectations. I like to accompany them throughout the entire process, although some are not easy. I like to be able to empathize with each of them and make them feel safe for trusting me. .
Q: What health consequences can a neglected mouth have in the future?
In reality, when our mouth is not in good condition, we are no longer facing good health. It is important to recognize that the mouth and all the components that make it up are also part of health. In the face of previous pathologies that a patient may present, such as diabetes, heart disease, among others, good oral health is essential, free of any type of noxa that alters our system.
Q: Why do you think we are so afraid of going to the dentist?
I think there are many reasons, the first is the emotional burden of each person before starting treatment, no one likes to lose pieces or not have an ideal smile, added to patients who present pathologies such as periodontitis, which we already talked about about tooth mobility, So that is why it is very important to accompany the patient throughout their treatment. Afterwards, in my opinion, the majority who go to the dentist are because they are already experiencing pain and therefore associate pain with the dentist. The vast majority of patients do not make appointments for controls.
Another of the most important reasons is bad experiences. Dentistry has advanced a lot over the years, it is in complete change, whether in terms of technical materials and having lived through bad experiences when younger or younger, it does not help at present either. I think there is not a great awareness of the importance of dental hygiene.
Q: How does what we eat influence?
Of course, everything in excess is bad, but we can have a free life in terms of nutrition with correct hygiene. Obviously, genetic load has a lot to do with it, there are patients who are more prone to cavities than others, but by having correct hygiene of brushing 3 times a day with quality brushing and going to the dentist every 6 months we achieve good oral health.
Q: How is our oral health as adults related to the habits acquired during childhood?
It is very important to acquire habits from when we are little, brushing and taking them to the dentist so that they can become familiar with all the equipment. When we are children, prevention plays a very important role.
Q: What advice would you give to parents so that their children have these habits from the first years of life?
First, the parents themselves have the habits to be able to teach, and be patient and insist on daily brushing and visits to the dentist.
Doctor María Victoria Cantero (IG: @Dra.vickycantero)
Source: Ambito
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
