If you experience anxiety or fear of visiting the dentist then you’re not alone. It’s actually quite common for people to dread visiting the dentist (but we don’t take it personally!) to the point where they will leave problems untreated and cause themselves more pain and suffering by delaying treatment until they can’t bear the pain any longer. Stop! It doesn’t have to be this way. Here are a few tips to make your trip to see us easier, and hopefully help you overcome this fear forever.
Take a friend to the appointment
There’s absolutely no problem in bringing a friend or relative with you to the dentist appointment for moral support, and in some cases where you need to have a procedure involving anaesthetic it is something we actively encourage, as it wouldn’t be safe for you to drive yourself home.
Meditation or relaxing music
Some people find meditation to be very successful in helping them relax. Some simple deep breathing exercises to calm your nerves before you walk into the surgery can give you that much-needed boost of last minute confidence. If you would prefer to listen to relaxing music or an audio book to distract you during your check up, that’s fine with us too. In our practice you can also distract yourself by watching TV during your treatment.
Treatment from your dentist
Some people have reported in the past that they felt scolded or reprimanded by their dentist for not looking after teeth, which has contributed to their reluctance to come back. This is hardly surprising – no one should be telling you off! We are of course professional, and will advise you on the best course of action to look after your teeth, but we take patient care very seriously so when you visit us you will be treated with nothing but the utmost respect.
Sedation dentistry
If you genuinely can’t bear the thought of having a dental procedure, we can offer you sedation dentistry as an alternative to ensure you are fully relaxed and safe during your appointment. You’ll still be conscious throughout and able to talk and answer questions, but you will be in such deep relaxation state that you won’t care what’s going on around you and afterwards you might not even remember much of what went on. To find out more about this service, click here.
Don’t overthink
Overthinking what could happen at your appointment is a definite way to put yourself off going. The scenarios you’re imagining in your head are worse than what will actually happen, we promise. Talk to us about your fears and we can spend some time together before your examination begins so that you’re fully aware of what we’ll be doing and how long it will take.
