If you’re scared of visiting us Dentists, you’re absolutely not alone.
Over half of the UK population report dental phobia to some level.
If you suffer from dental anxiety, here’s a list of tips to conquer feeling scared of the dentist.
Know You Can Speak Up
The first step in conquering your fear is letting us know about it.
If you’re nervous about a specific treatment, feel comfortable knowing you can flag it to your Dentist!
We’ll explain every step, and even help you understand medical terminology so you have control. We want to ensure there are no surprises.
Equally, some patients tell me they would rather not know. So we can deliberately keep things quiet in the clinical setting.
The key is to feel comfortable enough with your Dentist to be able to communicate this and get exactly the experience that could support you.
Your concerns are as unique as you are, and understanding them allows us to tailor dentistry to make you as comfortable as possible.
Visit the Practice Beforehand
Sometimes, just familiarising yourself with the environment can work wonders.
Why not pop in for a chat so you know where everything is and exactly what to expect?
Here at Danbury Dental Care, we offer free consultations for nervous patients, so you can pop in, get to know the team without the stress of anticipating dental treatment.
Bring Headphones
Feel free to spend your appointment listening to your favourite calming playlist or a distracting podcast which has nothing to do with dentistry.
Most of the time we’re playing calming Zen meditation music in our clinics so it feels like a spa!
Music, especially familiar music, can be a huge stress reliever. Before you know it, the session will be over.
Choose a Low-stress Appointment Time
If possible, choose an appointment time when you’re least stressed.
Maybe earlier in the day might be suitable, so you haven’t spent hours worrying beforehand.
Booking a 9AM slot means you wont be waiting around all that long, the waiting room will be quiet, and you’re catching the team at the freshest! So we always recommend early morning appoints where possible.
Just allow enough time to feel relaxed in the journey on you way over to the clinic. There’s nothing worse than the stress of a deadline and hitting a bunch of morning traffic!
Ask About Sedation
We offer dental sedation for those especially anxious about their treatment.
This is administered via the arms with IV Sedation or breathed through the nose with Inhalation sedation.
As a Dentist that caters to nervous patients, sedation is one of our number one tactics to help people undergo treatment.
Sedation’s impact can be transformative.
Having treated hundreds of patients with Sedation, I find that people can really start to build up positive associations with visiting the dentist again. And slowly, overcome their fear of treatment.
Phone a Friend (or Family member!)
Sometimes, just having a friend or family member in the room can be a source of great comfort.
You are more than welcome to bring a “plus 1” into the dental room. That extra bit of moral support can do wonders to your confidence.
Ask your dental practice if you can can bring someone in with you ahead of time.
In Summary
If you’re scared of undergoing dental treatment, I hope this has been a helpful guide for you.
I hope this has given some peace of mind to those reading it who are contemplating treatment, especially if you’re nervous.
Above all, the best thing to do is communicate with your practice and also ask how they can tailor the experience for you as a nervous or dental phobic patient.
We love helping nervous patients here at Danbury Dental Care, so take a look at our website, our reviews, and if you’re feeling confident please don’t hesitate to get in touch with the team!
