"No one should have to suffer dental pain in the 21st
century" — Dr. Dina Idelitz, root canal specialist at
KJJ Dental Office and professor at Hadassah University School
of Dentistry
"Our goal is to integrate compassionate and quality care with
state-of-the-art dentistry" — Dr. Jacob Jackson,
partner in KJJ Dental Office
Is it true? Can a visit to the dentist really be pain free?
Has modern dentistry advanced to the point where no patient
need put off getting needed treatment because of fear of
pain?
Or is it a marketing myth, designed to get gullible patients
to part with even more of their hard-earned money?
I won't make you wait for the good news. Pain-free dentistry
has arrived and will certainly be here to stay. If you are
one of the millions who has put off necessary dental work
because you are afraid to go to the dentist, your worries are
over.
Mali's story is typical:
"When I was a teenager," said Mali, "I became very conscious
of taking good care of my teeth. I brushed twice a day, and
flossed daily. When my oldest children were young, I
maintained the same level of oral health for them as well.
"However, as the family grew, I found myself with less time
for myself, and less money to schedule regular dental
checkups. The results were not long in coming. Over the years
of raising my family, I had my share of fillings, plus
several root canal procedures and crowns. Each involved a
large measure of pain. The shots of Novocain hurt, and the
drilling usually had me jumping several times a session.
After each appointment, I would drag myself home, crawl into
bed and stay there for the rest of the day. I became an
expert in over-the-counter and prescription pain relief for
dental work.
"Don't think this is because I didn't go to good dentists. I
did.
"At some point, things settled down. We moved, and I found a
new dentist. I entered a period of relative dental calm that
lasted a decade. Then a nagging ache told me the sad news. I
needed to see a dentist.
"I was now no longer a young mother, but a more mature
individual with more life experience. I decided that dental
care was like any other service, and that I would no longer
accept service that was not what I needed — no matter
how good it might be for others.
"I wanted pain-free dentistry.
"Surprisingly, not many people supported my quest. Friends
just went to the dentist when required. To them, it was no
big deal. Family members and acquaintances recommended their
dentists, most giving effusive praise: 'I had eight root
canals and didn't feel a thing'; 'Rav So-and-so goes to my
dentist.' 'I never had any problems with pain with my
dentist.'
"It was encouraging that so many people were happy with the
dental care they were getting, but I wasn't hearing the one
special word I so wanted to hear: 'pain-free.'
"I finally made an appointment with one of the dentists
recommended. He sent me for a full set of x-rays and
discovered that I needed two root canals.
"He told me to make an appointment with an endodontist, which
is what root canal specialists are called. When I called to
make the appointment, I said I was looking for painless
dentistry. I added that there was no point in my coming if
the treatment was not going to be pain free. The endodontist
reassured me, and we set up the appointment.
"To make a long story short, it was far from painless. I had
tears running down my cheeks, tears of silent pain, and I was
gripping the armrests of the chair in panic.
"Root canals are a two- or three-visit procedure. After that
first visit, I knew I was not going back for more.
"'But what are you going to do?' a friend asked me. 'You have
only a temporary filling in the tooth. You can't leave it
like that.'
"'I am going to find painless dentistry,' I said with
determination. 'It must exist. I've heard about it. If I have
to,' I said with far less determination, 'I'll just take
general anesthesia. Let them put me out. Let them do whatever
they have to do, but I am not going through that again."
"Weeks passed. I felt like a stubborn two-year-old running
away from a noisy vacuum cleaner. Finally, I could put it off
no longer. But where to search?
"Suddenly, I had a brainstorm. The Newcomer's Guide!
It's for English speakers, so it must list dentists that
cater to that crowd. If there's painless dentistry anywhere
in the country, it's sure to be among the English-speaking
community.
"A small voice chided me. 'You're going to go to a dentist
you picked out of a phone book? A dentist you never heard of
before? A dentist no one has recommended?'
"I told the voice to be quiet and dialed the number of KJJ &
Associates. The ad had an impressive list of services, but
what caught my eye was — you guessed it —
'General Anesthesia.'
"A calm voice at KJJ answered my call. I told the voice that
I was in the middle of a root canal and was not going to
continue unless I could have pain-free dentistry. I told her
I saw their ad and wanted to have general anesthesia. She
asked me to tell her what had happened and then listened
patiently for 10 minutes (!) while I told her my dental
history.
"I was amazed when she said sympathetically, 'You've come to
the right place. In fact, I'm going to give you an
appointment with my own dentist, Dr. Jackson. There are many
pain-relieving options available, and you'll be able to
discuss them with him.' She said a few more reassuring
things, and we set up an appointment.
"I can honestly say that from the first visit, going to the
dentist has been a pleasure. The office is clean and modern,
and filled with positive energy. I have not felt any pain
during any of the procedures. At the first visit, Dr.
Jackson, B.D.S., a dental surgeon who received his degree
from the University College of London, suggested that I might
want to try the nitrous oxide ('laughing gas'). This harmless
gas has a long history of safe use as a pain and anxiety
reliever. It is delivered through a light-weight plastic tube
and nasal mask. All I had to do was breathe through my nose.
He promised me that if this did not offer total pain relief,
we had other options. His interest in pain relief reassured
me. My pain would not be my problem alone, but would be part
of the treatment.
"From the beginning, Dr. Jackson, assisted by his extremely
professional and personable assistant Shoshana Wagshul, did
everything with the utmost patience, constantly asking how I
felt. This convinced me more than anything that he was
committed to keeping the treatment sessions pain-free. In the
past, other dentists had asked this question, and had even
told me I could raise my hand if I was feeling pain. However,
they had nothing to offer me for that pain except another
shot of Novocain or a murmured 'This will soon be over.'
"I recently recommended Dr. Jackson to a friend of a friend
who needed emergency treatment and was desperate to avoid
pain. Afterward, she said she was amazed at the painless,
professional treatment. For me, if the dentist will pardon
me, this is the icing on the cake: Knowing I can be a
shaliach tov in recommending a good dentist."
Teeth are a precious gift from Hashem, but it's up to us to
take care of them. The American Dental Association offers
these guidelines for healthy gums and teeth:
* Brush your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.
* Clean between teeth daily with floss or an interdental
cleaner. Decay-causing bacteria still lingers between teeth
where toothbrush bristles can't reach. Flossing removes
plaque and food particles from between the teeth and under
the gum line.
* Eat a balanced diet and limit between-meal snacks.
* Visit your dentist regularly for professional cleanings and
oral exams.
* Replace your toothbrush every three or four months or
sooner if the bristles become frayed. A worn toothbrush will
not do a good job of cleaning your teeth. Children's
toothbrushes often need replacing more frequently than adults
because they can wear out sooner.
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Did you know that?
* The more slowly your dentist injects the anesthesia, the
less painful the injection will be.
* People with red hair are more sensitive to pain and need 20
per cent more aesthetic to numb the pain.
* An estimated 9-15% of all Americans avoid regular dental
care due to fear of pain.
* In Great Britain, 23% would rather suffer from toothache
than visit the dentist!
Painless dentistry options
Local anesthesia: This is a preliminary step to
decrease sensation in the gum. First a gel is rubbed onto the
gum or placed on a cotton wad next to the gum to numb it
slightly. After several minutes, an injection of Novocain is
given to fully numb the area. The latest product is a numbing
patch that is placed on the gum like a Band-Aid.
Inhalation anesthesia: nitrous oxide or "laughing
gas." This works immediately, and the effects don't linger
after the gas mask comes off.
Sedation: With "sedation dentistry," the patient
thinks he's asleep and will have no memory of the procedure,
but can respond to the dentist. Patients actually sleep
through their dental appointment! One small pill gives as
much sleep time as needed, even for several procedures. Anti-
anxiety drugs can also be given along with the sedation.
General anesthesia: Sometimes called "sleep
dentistry," an injection puts the patient into total
unconsciousness for several hours.
All these options are available in Eretz Yisrael as well as
abroad, but must be administered only by qualified dental
surgeons.
[Editor's note: The above article is a public service and not
a promotional ad. The pseudonymed author prefaced her
submission to YATED with the following message, which I am
passing on:
"Anything I write for the YATED is given solely for the
public benefit and out of a sense of gratitude to the paper.
You may not know this, but many years ago, I wrote a very
small piece about a visit to Har Hazeisim. At my husband's
insistence, I submitted it. Much to my surprise, Rabbi Plaut
kindly published it and offered me a translating job. I
accepted, though it was a tremendous struggle, given my
meager skills at that time. So you see what an editor can do!
And I'm sure the many people you publish are equally grateful
to you for giving them a chance to appear in print."
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