Dental Anxiety
Are you one of the estimated third of UK adults have some form of fear of the dentist? Being a nervous patient should not get in the way of your access to better dental health.
At Dental Wellbeing, the dentists are experienced in treating nervous patients. We can prepare and make sure your visit is as easy-going and stress-free as possible – from the moment you arrive and relax in our welcoming waiting area to when it's time to leave.
Rest assured it is not too late to improve your oral health. We see many patients, some of whom have avoided seeing a dentist for even a couple of decades due to dental phobia. We have the expertise, empathy and patience to make your dental care as easy and pleasant as possible.
Causes of dental anxiety – and how we can help
Dental anxiety can be caused by a range of things. Here are some common causes and how we can help you overcome them, to look after your dental health.
- Fear of pain: It's easy to let fear of pain during dental treatment from past experiences slip into your mind and put you off treatment. At Dental Wellbeing, we take all necessary steps including providing pre-injection anaesthetic paste, kinder anaesthetic techniques, providing specialist sedation services and of course giving you time for the anaesthetic to take full action
- Previous experiences: While we understand how bad past experiences can make you wary of future appointments, it doesn't have to affect your oral health. Our dentists are here to help you feel at ease. And they're fully qualified and experienced, meaning you're in the safest possible hands whenever you visit us.
- Phobia of needles: You should talk to your dentist beforehand if you don't like needles. They can use numbing gels to minimise discomfort during the injection.
- Fear of loss of control: The thought of someone putting their hands in your mouth and altering your teeth while you can't see what's going on, can seem off-putting. Speak to your dentist about these worries, so they can suggest ways to help you feel comfortable. For example, your dentist could talk you through what they're doing at each stage or come up with a signal if you want them to stop and take a break during treatment.
- Confidence in your smile: If you haven't visited the dentist in a while, even years, due to your anxiety – you may feel self-conscious or embarrassed about your smile.
- The cost of treatment: Money worries can cause unwanted stress and might result in you ignoring dental pain or discomfort. Speak to your dentist about payment options, you're not alone.
Techniques to ease dental anxiety
Some options to help make your dental visits easier and calmer include:
- Dental sedation – provided by a highly experienced and expert sedation surgeon
- Relaxation techniques, including inviting you to listen to music, tours of the practice and introductions to staff
- Numbing the area of your mouth, initially with anaesthetic gel where treatment is needed
- Desensitisation to the noise of the drill (behaviour modification)
- Administering local anaesthetic for most treatments including some non-invasive ones
If you are nervous about seeing the dentist, please contact Dental Wellbeing, online, by telephone or visit us in person. You can tell our receptionist about your concerns. We have the means and experience to help you overcome your anxiety and enjoy good oral health.
Please speak to our dentists when you arrive for your appointment about your options.
What is dental sedation?
Dental sedation is a way to help you feel more at ease during treatment. It is not general anaesthetic which puts you into a totally unconscious state where your breathing has to be supported by mechanical means. Dental sedation puts you in a relaxed but conscious state where you are still able to talk with your dentist. It is a deeply relaxed state, where you won't feel any discomfort or pain. Any upsetting episodes will be forgotten completely after you have left the sedated state and have recovered enough to leave the premises.
- Intravenous (IV) sedation: where a sedative is injected into your vein
- Inhalation sedation: where you inhale a sedative gas through a mask that your dentist places over your nose and mouth.
Rest assured, dental sedation is not just for invasive procedures. You can opt to have this even for routine dental procedures like hygienist sessions, when our clinician will give you a scale and polish to ensure your teeth are thoroughly clean.
After you've had sedation, and finished your treatment, you'll recover in-practice to allow its effects to subside. Your clinician will wait to ensure you feel fully recovered before discharging you to the care of the friend or family member who accompanied you to your appointment.
We can explain about how sedation works in more detail by booking an appointment with one of the dentists. Naturally, we could only book a sedation visit for treatment once we find out exactly what treatment you require; this will be determined during your consultation at the examination (“check-up”) appointment. The dentist will be able to answer any questions you may have and help put your mind at ease.
How to minimise your trips to the dentist
We recommend you visit your dentist at Dental Wellbeing for regular check-ups so we can check on your oral health and determine what treatment, if any, you require. Our dentists will advise how often you need to come to the practice, depending on your individual needs.
You can take steps to help limit visits to the dentist, by maintaining a dedicated oral health routine at home. This should include:
- Brushing your teeth twice a day, for two to three minutes each time, using fluoride toothpaste. Our hygienist can give you oral hygiene instruction after she has cleaned your teeth professionally
- Flossing every day, as well as brushing, to dislodge any food particles stuck between your teeth. Flossing before brushing your teeth is recommended.
- Reducing the frequency you expose your teeth to sugary foods and drinks. Snacking on confectionery, sweet pastries, cereal bars, fizzy drinks, milkshakes and even drinks will accelerate the incidence of dental decay
At Dental Wellbeing, we offer a very cost-effective way of spreading your payments for regular check-ups and hygienist treatments. Joining our Dental Wellbeing Membership Plan entitles you to significant benefits and encourages you to attend regularly; most of our Dental Wellbeing Members have healthier mouths requiring less treatment due to their more regular attendance and benefiting from our professional advice at each visit.
Please see our “Membership Benefits” section for further details.