6 Tips for nervous patients to get over dental practice anxiety

The role of dental visits in keeping your oral hygiene on track cannot be emphasised enough. Routine dental check-ups also help in diagnosing any potential dental problems and prepare you for early intervention. As dental health is linked to your overall well-being, dental visits also promote a good and healthy lifestyle for you. However, In today’s fast-paced world, people are too busy and seem to neglect their oral hygiene. Another reason why people tend to avoid their dental checkups is the fear of visiting a dental practice. Surprisingly not just the kids, but even adults have some dental anxiety when it comes to visiting a dentist. According to a study, 1 in every 10 people in the UK skips their dental checkups because of their phobia.

 

Why are people afraid of visiting a dentist?

Visiting a dentist is fruitful in every way, still, people are afraid to do so. This may be due to plenty of reasons. The most obvious reason is the thought of pain they may experience. Some people may have had procedures like Root Canal treatment, or impacted wisdom tooth extraction, in the past which makes them think that the dental visit will always be this painful. 

However, it is not the treatment that is painful but the disease itself that causes discomfort. These things can be sorted out if you talk to the dentist beforehand. Poor communication also makes you less confident about the dentist.

Another reason may be the sight and sounds of buzzing dental equipment and the complex set up of a dentist’s chair that makes the patient anxious.

Some people may be afraid simply because they have had a poor experience with some untrained dentist.

If you also face the same problem, we have some remarkable tips for you that will help you in getting over this fear of the dentist.

 

Tips to get over dental practice anxiety 

1. Find an appropriate dentist: Nervous dental patients are not an uncommon sight at dental practices. The staff plays a crucial role in helping the patients get over this nervousness. The reception staff and nurses, and the dentists are well-trained and have expertise in calming down the patients by assurance, and counselling. IV sedation may also be used if no other technique works. It is a completely safe and credible way to get your dental treatments done with ease.

At Conway House Dental Practice, our primary aim is to provide a relaxing, comfortable, and home-like environment to the patients and relieve their nervousness. Our team is incredibly compassionate, right from the warm and friendly receptionist to our trained professional dentist, you will be at ease all the time. Dental practice anxiety is common, and we take utmost care not to overlook it in our patients. 

1. Communicate with your dentist: If you are nervous about your dental visit, don’t keep it to yourself. Talk about it with your dentist, or nurse around you. Talking not only distracts you from your anxiety but also lets the dentist know if any special caution is to be taken for you.
   Also, if you have any doubts about the procedure, simply ask your dentist. They will provide step by step instructions that may help you in being sure and confident in your dentist. If you don’t ask, you won’t find out what provisions are available with the dentist to make you feel relaxed. From IV sedation to slow and steady progression in the procedure, or simple and effective communication, you never know what may work for you.
2. Book an advance consultation: Be prepared for your visit by booking a consultation in advance. If possible, book your visit in the early morning hours. You can also meet the dentist beforehand to know more about how the procedure will be and get to know him as well, his speciality, and the provisions available if you are anxious. If you get it done, first thing in the morning it will save you from worrying about it the entire day.

3. Bring your source of entertainment: You can bring your music to keep you distracted from the ongoing procedure and the various erroneous sounds of drilling equipment at the practice. You can ask the dentist if you can keep your earphones on at the time of the procedure, and listen to relaxing music. It will help in calming you down and also entertain you. Music is, thus, a great way to get through dental visits conveniently. Apart from music, you can also use stress-busting devices like a sponge ball or a soft toy to comfort you.

4. Practice breathing exercises: Breathing exercises work wonders in relieving the stress. No just at dental practices, breathing exercises will help you immensely in day-to-day life as well. You can practice them on your own or take the assistance of many free apps available to guide you about the proper technique. When you are anxious, you tend to hold your breath which cuts down oxygen supply transiently, thereby aggravating your apprehension. Focus on your breathing and try to take deep and regular breaths.

5. Bring a friend or family member: You can bring anyone whom you feel comfortable with to the dental practice. They will provide you with moral support and will be able to ease you even more than the dentist could. Make sure that they are not nervous about the dentist.

 

These simple steps will help you a lot in getting over your fear of visiting the dentist and being confident enough to visit for routine dental checkups. If you are looking for an experienced dentist in High Wycombe, who can help you with your anxiety and provide comfortable treatment, Conway House Dental Practice would be the perfect destination for you. Our dentists aim to make all our patients as relaxed as possible and fulfil their expectations. We understand that it can be troublesome if you are anxious or have a phobia, so we offer safe IV sedation services as well.

Call us on 01494526578 to book your appointment today!