A Dental Visit With a Difference
Lavender for dental anxiety sounds almost too good to be true! But wait … there has been a study on this and I’m sure it will come as a relief for many.
Nerves Jingling
Most of us will admit to being nervous when we anticipate a visit to the dentist? Right?!
Anxiety levels are palpable as soon as you walk through the dental waiting room door.
Waiting, waiting
We can all relate to sitting in the waiting room and looking around nervously while waiting for our dental checkup.
The gamut of emotions on display range from a little bit anxious to outright fear.
Not surprisingly, statistics tell us that dentists are among the least favourite on our list of people to visit!
May be worth the wait
Then I learned of medical trials involving lavender treatments and its usefulness in treating anxiety during dental visits. My interest was peeked.
Lavender essential oil was placed in dental surgery waiting rooms and controlled studies were done on the effect the lavender oil had on the patients. There were some pleasant surprises.
Medical trials
There have been several studies carried out at different times; and the conclusion was similar in each of the studies. One of these studies was carried out by King’s College London Dental Institute in 2008.
Patients were placed in a room where the lavender was present and it was found they were significantly more relaxed than those waiting in a room where it was not used.
It did not seem to matter what reason the patient was visiting the dentist; whether it was for a checkup or treatment involving drilling!
Inexpensive Equipment Still Effective
As lavender essential oil was added to a ceramic candle lamp filled with hot water in one of the studies; the equipment needed is not expensive. And there are different aromatherapy and essential oil diffusers to choose from today.
From electric diffusers to those where you add a few drops of your favorite essential oil into the reservoir with a little water and ignite a tea light.
They should all be effective in creating a calm ambience; whatever the occassion.
It also has less side-effects than medication that is often required to treat patients suffering anxiety on visiting the dentist.
It is encouraging to note that lavender for dental anxiety seemed to work well.
Short Term Effect Only
Interesting to note: this however only had a short-term effect and soon wore off after the dental visit. So, lavender for dental anxiety worked; but only for a short time.
Therefore my own conclusion is to have lavender essential oil in use in your home after the visit to the dentist, to continue enjoying the relaxing benefits the lovely lavender provides.
Hopefully it will keep you relaxed enough to not miss your next dental appointment. Just a thought.
Is This the Answer
This could be the answer to that dreaded note you have written for yourself. Must call and make an appointment with the dentist…..but wait I’m far too busy at the moment!
Do you suffer panic attack, anxiety or fear; when the mention of a need to visit your dentist comes into the conversation?
Or are you one of the minority; who is cool calm and collected and view your dental visit as a leisurely stroll in the park so to speak. Some of us believe you; but not many!
Lavender essential oil wafting through the waiting rooms at your dentist may be just the answer. Lavender for dental anxiety … not so fanciful after all.
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{ 71 comments… read them below or add one }
I have heard of people using a drop or two of lavender essential oil to help remain calm during air travel. Might be worth a try!
Hi Deb
Lavender essential oil definitely should help as it does have relaxing properties. Nice to see you here. Hope you enjoyed the visit.
Patricia Perth Australia
Hi Patricia,
Lavender is definitely good for relaxation and anxiety too. I have a diffuser and use lavender essential oil (along with many others) within my house. I even have a tiny diffuer for my car. It plugs into the cigarette lighter.
If you don’t have a diffuser, you can mix a blend with water and add to a spray bottle, or add a few drops to a lamp light bulb to gently distribute the fragrance throughout a room. There are many ways you can add the amazing benefits of lavender (and other essential oils) into your environment.
Some Asian countries, pump a variety of essential oils through building vents.
You are right, Patricia…lavender is one of the essential oils used for relaxation, especially when you walk into a dentist office or other medical building and the first smell is that awful sterile smell.
Hi Patricia:
Your site is one of my favorite sites. As usual you have a very interesting post and specially for those who are starting to know Lavender.
How beautiful and fragrant is your product Lavender and at the same time it is relaxing,and calming in every situation. I used to make Soy Candles with Lavender essential oils to sell and use. Out of 24 different essential oils I used to like Lavender.
When I stopped making candles, I still use it as a
fragrance to warm my home after cooking and cleaning.
It has great uses. The visit to the dentist, bugs me a lot and now I am going to use lavender more before I leave home. Good reminder for everyone.
Thank you for awesome information.
Make it a great day for yourself.
Fran Aslam
In the U.S., dentists have one of the highest suicide rates of any profession. Perhaps it is they who need the lavender!
Hi Fran
Thanks for your kind words. I hope to have soy candles on my list of products on offer. They are beautiful. Glad you are enjoying my posts. Lots more to come
BTW are you going to get a Gravatar? It’s a real help when making comments on other people’s sites too. Have a great day. Will be over to visit your blog again soon too.
Patricia Perth Australia
Hi Stephanie
Always good to see you. I think we have similar stats here in Australia! Thanks for visiting. Would be preferable to have lavender wafting through the surgery than the smell that hits you as you walk in the waiting room eh?!
Patricia Perth Australia
Hi Opal
As always it’s great to see you visiting. You always add to the conversation and have lots of helpful tips for us all to learn from. Thanks for taking the time. Much appreciated.
Patricia Perth Australia
Hi Patricia
I love how your posts tell a story. This is so refreshing
Now, I knew lavender oil has amazing calming properties but to this extent – wow!
I’m a big pussy cat when it comes to visiting the dentist,and I freak out terribly. I will have to take some lavender oil on my next appointment:)
Have a great day Patricia.
Michael
Hey Patricia,
Whenever I go to the doctor to get a needle I always get very nervous and on that day I just cant function at all, I worry a lot to the point that I cannot do anything else until this doctor visit is over.
I didn’t know that people used this during air travel to relax like Deb said. I’m going to try this on my next visit to see if I can calm down a bit, thanks for sharing this great information Patricia.
Hi Sayed
My niece is similar to you in that she is so scared of needles. I worked as a nurse for many years so am completely comfortable visiting the doctor but I know many people are not. Glad you are finding my information helpful. I enjoy visiting your blog and learning too.
Patricia Perth Australia
Hi Ken
Apologies, I thought I had replied but it didn’t show so here goes again! Firstly thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment. Good to see you here. I agree the smell at the dentist is what often puts people off. With lavender wafting through the air; the patients were definitely more relaxed in all the studies I researched.
Patricia Perth Australia
Hi Michael
Always great to catch up with you. Wow that is a real compliment coming from such an amazing wordsmith as yourself
There are so many uses for the lovely lavender and although the researcher in me would have normally written a more detailed post loaded with heaps of facts; this is how it ended up and probably a more easy read.
Patricia Perth Australia
I’m in between. I don’t have panic attacks but I don’t look forward to it either.
I don’t know if lavender is enough. I guess it would depend on the procedure.
Hi Adrienne
Thanks for visiting. In two of the studies (200 participants & 340 participants) it didn’t seem to have any effect which procedure was being performed. Lavender appeared to decrease the anxiety level in the controlled group so that was an interesting find for the researchers conducting the studies.
Patricia Perth Australia
Hi Patricia – Thanks so much for sharing this information! I am a dental consultant and have worked in the dental field for 20 + years and have seen so many people that have genuine fear of dental treatment, so much so that they do not have their treatment done, which in turn causes all kinds of issues that are worse than the original treatment! It is a sad cycle that people get into. It is nice to know that their are alternative methods other than taking medication to calm peoples nerves. I will definitely share this information with the offices I work with!
Awesome post Patricia,
You got that right. Dentists are not my favorites either. I know what to take next time I go see them though…
Thanks for the share Patricia…
Have a blessed day..
Hi Jan
Thanks for visiting and adding your comment. Much appreciated. I agree; this is a great alternative and so much more pleasant to experience the aroma of lavender than the usual dental smells!
Patricia Perth Australia
Hi adam
Always good to touch base with you. Thanks. I enjoyed researching for this one as I know a lot of people have a real fear of visiting the dentist. Hope to talk soon.
Patricia Perth Australia
I’m one of those scaredy cats who hate visiting the dentist. I tell myself that I can get through anything for half an hour but it is still an anxious time.
What I liked was your suggestion to use it after the visit but I would turn that on it’s head. I’d use the lavender essential oil BEFORE my visit to the dentist. That is my worst time as I imagine what it might be like.
I wonder if tucking a sprig of lavender in one’s pocket and taking a little sniff every now and then on the way to the dentist wold help?
Hi Dawn
You could always try that. Would be interested to hear from you after your dental visit. See if it has worked for you. In the trial they already had lavender wafting through the dental surgery; that’s why I suggested after this then perhaps to stay calm to have it in the home. I definitely think it is worth a try if it gets more people to look after their dental health. Thanks for your comment. Hope you enjoyed your visit.
Patricia Perth Australia
Hi pat,
Interesting to note that lavender oils have some calming effect on patients. hey I might just use some of them in my patient’s room then
Hi Bryan
Glad you enjoyed the post and great to see you visiting.
Patricia Perth Australia
Awesome post Momma
i never knew lavender has all this qualities! that sounds cool. i don’t think have ever pay a visit to the dentist before lol… thanks for sharing. Hvae Fun.
We have a few of those burners in our home, which are perfect for scenting our house. I’ve a job interview next week, so I have to put some lavender on a handkerchief and see if it relaxes me a little!
It’s been so long from I’ve been to the dentist though. I’m terrified of the place – or rather potential pain! Think it would take gas to unnerve me lol
Sounds like a really good idea to me. Maybe they need to put the lavender oil in class rooms at school. Might help children learn more and relax them. Big family get togethers might be another good place for it. Just a thought.
Debbie
Hi Patricia,
I am so happy to see your blog coming along so gloriously! It’s great to be able to share your passion with the world isn’t it?
Hi Samuel
You must have very good teeth or do you need some lavender oil to relax and get you to the dentist lol
Keep rocking cheeky chappy
Patricia Perth Australia
Hi Debbie
good to see you over here. I see your blog is going well
A few more suggestions eh. There are so many uses for the lovely lavender. Will be sharing more soon.
Patricia Perth Australia
Hi Mark
Thanks for visiting and taking time to comment. Really pleased you could come and enjoy the info on the lovely lavender.
You are not alone in having a fear about a dental visit! This study has really given some hope to those who haven’t been seeing their dentist regularly.
Patricia Perth Australia
Hi Gary
What a lovely surprise to see your comment waiting for me this morning. Thanks so much for visiting and taking time to visit. I went to a beautiful lavender farm yesterday and purchased some prodcts so next step is getting the store up on my site. Will be leaving that to the techies as you know my skills in that department lol
I am loving the whole blogging experience and researching the many uses of the lovely lavender.
BTW Hope the launch goes really well.
Patricia Perth Australia
Patricia, I am not a fan of the dentist and the earphones to listen to music is not enough to soothe me. It’s always great to have other alternatives to calm one’s nerves.
Hi Karen
Not many of us like that visit to the dentist. I was really pleased when I read all the research into treating anxiety at the dental surgery. Thanks for your visit. Always appreciate you stopping by and commenting.
Patricia Perth Australia
Love this idea..I have lavender oil burning in my home regularly and it definitely has a calming and relaxing effect. Also the smell is divine
Hi Brenda
Must say I was excited when I began to read the research and medical results as I began to write this post. You are right; lavender does relax us and now they are showing scientifically how it all works. Even though it has been in use for thousands of years and we knew this anyway
Patricia Perth Australia
Hi Patricia,
This is a very interesting post. I am one who is fearful and don’t like the thought of even going to the dentist. I think having lavender in the air is a good thing, because it would help calm the nerves of fearful people like me.
Take care,
Evelyn
OK, so now I have two things to add to my to do lists. One is to find a dentist that uses lavender oil in his offices and another is to use it in the bedroom. Who knows if I can reduce her anxiety I may get lucky more often
Hi Sire
So good to see you and as with a lot of Aussie guys all I can say is…..cheeky chappy
BTW what is it with you guys and the dentist??!! There’s more than one that’s admitted here they need to go. Take a hanky with some lavender essential oil on it to relax. Let me know how you get on.
Patricia Perth Australia
Who knows, I feel the same way about doctors, I only going if I it’s absolutely necessary. Maybe if they used lavender
Sire it always amazes me how many guys are so macho about everything…..except their health and going to the dentist lol
Patricia Perth Australia
Hi Evelyn
For some reason your comment only just showed up! Thanks for visiting. It is a fact that so many people so don’t like going to the dentist and even those of us who go regularly (stats say we are in the minority) there are still high levels of anxiety about the visit. This could help some folks…I sure hope so as good dental hygiene is so important for our health & well-being. May have to do a post on that soon.
Patricia Perth Australia
While that may be true Patricia I know a few women who also fit into that category. Perhaps it’s not gender related at all?
Spoken like a true Aussie male sire lol You are right though; there are plenty of women & men who put off going to the dentist through fear. I have seen both waiting in the dental surgery. Hope they read this post and get sorted
Patricia Perth Australia
Hi Patricia, I don’t know a whole lot about herbs, some yes and some no. I’d like to know more. I believe more people should get to know more.
It’s good to know what lavender can do. Especially what you said about it not having any side effects. Sure beats taking drugs.
Terry Conti
Hi Terry
Thanks so much for taking the time to visit and comment on my blog. The more I can get out the message of the many uses of the lovely lavender the better. Hope you visit again soon.
Patricia Perth Australia
Hey Patricia, thanks for sharing the results of this trial. I think I’ll give lavender oils a try here at home. I don’t think I can convince my dentist but I’ll ask if heard about this. Have a great day!
Thanks for visiting Ileane. I appreciate you stopping by and taking the time to comment. I was pleased to find all the research. The lovely lavender still rocks.
Patricia Perth Australia
Patricia~
Yet as you know, I do love the smell!
I’ve never been anxious about the dentist, my mom covers that for my family!
Linda
ps. I have no idea why my commentluv isn’t working! Kimberly said if there is ever a problem it’s usually at comluv.com – I’ll check it out!
Hi Linda
As you will have probably noticed from many of the comments on this post; many people seem to be really anxious and found it helpful that maybe they can relax a little with a simple solution rather than avoid going to the dentist. Appreciate your taking the time to comment.
Nice to see you over here again. You are definitely in the minority with not being anxious when visiting the dentist! I was pleased to find the studies being done and the results. The lovely lavender has so many amazing uses and if it helps with a dental visit how good is that
Patricia Perth Australia
Seems like I’m the odd one out, but I am a regular at my dentist getting my teeth cleaned and checked every 6 months. I will mention the lavender to him next time as it would be a nice touch.
Thanks for coming over and visiting my site. I have always visited the dentist regularly. Can’t say I enjoyed it but felt it was all part of a well-balanced healthy lifestyle. From a lot of the comments and various studies done; it was clearly shown that anxiety levels were definitely up when people visited the dentist and prevents many from going at all!
Patricia Perth Australia
Like Cajun, I get my teeth checked regularly – having regular prevention work keeps the anxiety at bay. But there are plenty of other situations where the heart beats a little faster….public speaking for instance. From now on I’ll keep some lavender heads in my bag. it may get a little crumbly at the bottom of the bag but the fragrance is beautiful. Julia
Hi Julia
You could always have some lavender essential oil in your purse and use that instead. Thanks for visiting.
Patricia Perth Australia
Wow I never thought about that and now it makes sense that my dentist office has lavender candles burning in the lobby. I’m one of those weird people that loves going to the dentist so it doesn’t bother me.
Wow a dentist who appreciates the relaxing properties of lavender. No wonder you don’t mind going to the dentist Melinda. Thanks for stopping by.
Patricia Perth Australia
What a unique site! I really like essential oils, but I am not savvy with their usage. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Donna
thanks for taking the time to visit my site and leave a comment. I enjoy blogging about the lovely lavender and with so many uses there is plenty to write about. Hope to see you again.
Patricia Perth Australia
I had never considered using lavender or other essential oils to help calm patients. This is a great idea, as the tension in a dental office’s waiting room tends to run high!
I found the medical trials really interesting and if lavender can calm anxious patients down then I think it is a very good reason to try it. thanks for visiting and staying to comment.
Patricia Perth Australia
I’m curious about the design of King’s College study – do you know if it was randomized and double-blind study? If you have a link to that paper, please post it. Very interesting.
Hi Brian
Thanks for visiting and taking time to comment on my site. The study has been written up and reported on in several medical journals if you want to read further. I was really pleased to see the results as so many people avoid dental visits due to a genuine fear of going and the anxiety levels go up just sitting in the dental waiting room!
Patricia Perth Australia
Hi Patricia,
This is an interesting study. I don’t have a clue about any of these oils, candles and aromatherapy products. I just love the way they smell.
Is it possible that other scents might work as well?
Cheers,
Mitch
Hi Mitch
Great to have you visiting. Have seen you on other sites and love your way with words. A true wordsmith imho
The study was only conducted with lavender essential oil so can’t really comment on whether it works with other essential oils.
Because lavender does have a relaxing element it is ideal for assisting with trips to the dentist for those who are anxious at even the thought of it! Also great for those who are stressed, having difficulty sleeping the list goes on.
The lovely lavender has so many uses. Will be writing more in future posts.
Patricia Perth Australia
This is something new to me, my wife is a dentist and we are about to start bringing in a Oral Surgeon, I will see if I can implement this and see how it turns out.
Hi Randy
Very easy to implement and I hope your patients benefit from a relaxed atmosphere. Most of us don’t enjoy the thought of visiting the dentist and with this controlled study it definitely proved to decrease the levels of anxiety all that was needed was the lovely lavender
Thanks for stopping by and staying to comment. Hope all all goes well with your business. And all the best for the new year.
Patricia Perth Australia
Patricia, I understand what you mean, growing up I hated going to the dentist, now many years later I married one “GO FIGURE” I will try to make this step for the entire office.
Natural treatments for common ailments in my opinion, are always the best. On the subject of dentistry, herbs like clove oil and echinacea (natural antibiotic) are good for toothaches until you can get to a dentist.
Hi Mark
Thanks for stopping by and staying to comment. I do remember when I was young that my Mother told me my Grandmother would give them oil of cloves if they had toothache.
It is great to see that there are more and more clinical trials that are being done and the lovely lavender is coming up smelling sweet
Patricia Perth Australia
After reading this post, I actually asked my dentists’ office to use lavendar scented oils in their office. They took it as a great tip and got some. Next time I go, I am hoping I’m not nearly as on edge as I normally am.
-Sylvia
Hi Sylvia
Well done for being proactive. Great your dentist listened to your suggestion and acted on it.
Thanks for taking the time to share that with me. Very encouraging.
Patricia Perth Australia
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