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Dental Anxiety And What You Can Do About It
One of the most common phobias is, somewhat unsurprisingly, dental anxiety; in fact, 53% of the UK population suffers from fear or anxiety when visiting the dentist. After all, letting someone look in your mouth and perform a treatment can seem scary or painful. But our dentists can actually help patients in Wolverhampton overcome their dental anxiety – and this blog might help you, too.
Why do people have a phobia of the dentist?
Anything that has an element of the unknown to it can feel frightening. And it’s not uncommon for people to feel this way about the tools that a dentist uses, or the sounds they make. Unlike some medical treatments, dental treatments often require you to be awake rather than anaesthetised, so patients can feel that they have little power if things get too much.
How can I overcome my dental anxiety?
Here are a few ways:
- Practice calm, deep breathing
- Listen to music while you’re in the dentist’s chair
- Take time to talk to your dentist about your treatment
- Discuss things that are causing you to experience dental anxiety
Can I bring a chaperone?
Yes, in many situations, a chaperone can be allowed. This can help you feel more comfortable about being in the dental practice and take your mind off your treatment.
What do I do on the day of treatment?
Our Wolverhampton dentists advise booking at the quietest times when there are fewer people and less hustle and bustle. This also means you could have more time to speak to the dentist and our team about what your treatment involves. And, it means you don’t have to rush as much, so can take the time you need to relax beforehand.
What if treatment goes wrong?
Our experienced, professional dentists are trained and qualified in their art and are all members of the General Dental Council. If your treatment needs to be adapted (for example, you’re booked for a filling but then it transpires the tooth needs removing), we’ll be flexible with it. Treatment very rarely ‘goes wrong’, and there are always other members of the team to step in or support if needed.
What else can I try to help ease my dental anxiety?
At our dental practice, we work alongside a Hypnotherapist clinic, Midland Therapy Services, to help patients overcome their dental anxiety. Their team has first-hand experience with dental anxiety and knows exactly the kinds of techniques that can help overcome it, with treatments taken at entirely your own pace.
What usually causes dental anxiety?
It’s often a difficult past visit, a fear of pain, the sound of the equipment, feeling embarrassed about your teeth, or simply not feeling in control while you’re lying back in the chair. None of these is anything to apologise for, and we won’t judge the state of your teeth.
What can we do to help at your appointment?
- Agree a stop signal, such as raising your hand, so we pause whenever you need us to.
- Start with a simple check-up, then build up to anything more involved.
- Explain each step before we do it.
- Book you in at a quieter time of day, with extra time for breaks.
What if you need more support?
We offer oral sedation and can refer you for more complex sedation if you need it. Your dentist will go through your medical history first and talk you through whether it’s right for you.
Talk to our team about your dental anxiety
We want our patients in Wolverhampton to overcome their dental anxiety. Get in touch to see what we can offer today.
