Don’t Be Afraid Of The Dentist

Dentists are human too and we’re here to help YOU have healthy teeth and gums.

Dental phobia is very common. If you find your anxiety levels rising as a dental appointment approach, don’t worry, you are certainly not alone. Even dentists sometimes find it challenging to allow other dentists to treat their own oral health issues. For most people, the level of anxiety is manageable and, with a few deep breaths, they are able to undergo any check ups and treatments that are needed. Some people find it harder to do this though, so today we will look at some tips and advice that might help nervous dental patients in Burton get the treatment they need. First though let us take a look at some reasons not to fear going to the dentist.

Professionals

As we approach the door of our local dental clinic, we probably feel our heart rate increasing and perhaps a little sweating too. While we wait to see the dentist, or mind races with what ‘might’ happen and how awful it might be. On the other side of the door to the treatment room though is a qualified and experienced dentist who knows what they are doing.

Dentists have a long qualification period before being allowed to practice and even then, do so alongside another dentist for a year. Those looking to carry out more complex treatments such as the placing of dental implants, also have further training before they can do so. The fact is that dentists do know what they are doing and also have no desire at all to hurt the patient, despite what you may have seen in films and cartoons. Our local Burton dentists care about our patients and will do all that they can to keep you as comfortable and relaxed as possible throughout your visit.

Where it is needed, you will be given a local anaesthetic which will help to prevent any discomfort you might feel. Depending on the treatment, you might feel vibrations, pulling etc but you should not feel actual pain.

Remember that avoiding your dentist because you are nervous is a bad idea and any problem you have will only worsen and likely to leave you in a lot of pain. Maintaining regular check up appointments will help you to avoid some problems and have any that do occur, treated in the most minor way possible rather than a more significant procedure if allowed to worsen.

How you can help

The first thing is to remember what we have just written. The dentist is your friend and is there to help keep your teeth and gums in good health. On the practical side though, there are a few things that you can do which can help.

1 – Tell us if you are afraid.

While we treat all patients with kindness and good care, it is still useful to know if you are especially fearful of your dental visits. Letting us know can enable our dentists to give you more breaks or agree on a signal when you need one. They may also explain what they are doing as the procedure progresses if you want them too.

2 – Take deep breaths

This is a simple but well tried method of relaxing. Just a few deep breaths can really help steady the nerves. It won’t work miracles but it is useful.

3 – Bring a friend

Just having someone with you to sit in the waiting room can help to stop those nerves building why you wait and can be a useful distraction. If this is not possible, bring some music with you and also headphones. You may even be able to use the headphones in the treatment room but you will need to discuss this with the dentist as they may need to communicate during your treatment.

4 – Meditation and breathing exercises

Over a longer term, meditation and breathing exercises can help to reduce stress levels. There are many different methods available and, with a bit of trial and error, you might find this useful.

5 – Medication

If your anxiety levels around seeing the dentist are very high, your GP might be able to provide you with some medication to reduce your anxiety so that you can receive treatment. Avoiding the treatment can be detrimental to your general health as well as oral health so a GP may decide to prescribe something to allow it to go ahead. Remember, you are not alone and communicating with our Burton dental practice about your anxiety is the first place to start. You might find others in a similar situation to you as well so it is worth asking around to see what worked for others. It might work for you too.

To contact us about seeing a dentist as a nervous patient or for any other related matter, please contact us by calling our local team on 01283 845345.