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Scents that conjure up the image of a field of wildflowers or a freshly baked apple pie before a dental procedure could reduce your anxiety level. And while smelling the real thing may not be possible in a dental office, essential fragrance oils that duplicate these soothing scents have been proven to calm jittery nerves at the dentist.
Aromatherapy is the use of fragrance to alter a person's mood or behavior. Its use is becoming widespread—from shopping malls to spas to office buildings.
Dentists at Case Western Reserve University wanted to find out if aromatherapy would have any effect on nervous dental patients, so they conducted a study in which they observed the anxiety levels of 42 patients about to undergo a root canal. One-third of the patients were unknowingly exposed to a soft floral scent; another third was exposed to a warm spicy scent. The final third had no scent added to their room.
After the procedure, the patients' anxiety levels were again measured. The two-thirds who received aromatherapy were calmer and more relaxed than the group that had no added scent; the group exposed to the floral fragrance were the most relaxed.
Dentists today have the ability to make treatments completely comfortable and pain-free. But if a visit to the dentist still puts you a bit on edge, ask her if she uses aromatherapy in her treatment rooms or if she would be opposed to you bringing in your own.
Essential fragrance oils are available in health food stores, spas, and larger grocery and drug stores. Find one that soothes you, dab a little on a cotton ball, and bring it with you to your treatment appointment.
Source: Case Western Reserve University