Overcoming Dental Fear

We understand how going to the dentist can be a frightening affair. Over the nineteen years we have been practicing dentistry, we have seen every form of anxious patient walk through our door. The reasons for the anxiety can be many, but ignoring it nearly always results in the same situation—a vicious cycle of fear and avoidance which can lead to serious dental disease and a lifetime of discomfort.

Everyone’s personal situation is different, and we deal with each patient on a case-by-case basis. Some may simply need time. Time to familiarise themselves with the procedures, time to feel confident in the dentist treating them, time to step up from sitting in the chair with having no treatment done to seeing their very first needle unsheathed. Others may need only information. Fear comes from the unknown, after all. Many a customer has found their fear abating when we slowly demonstrate in clear and concise terms everything that is wrong and everything that needs to be done.

We show them the steps involved, using videos, pictures and leaflets to demystify dentistry. Slowly over time, and with some hand-holding, most, if not all, of our customers manage to overcome their nervousness. I have always been amazed at how resourceful nervous patients become, how quick the nerves disappear once the tiniest step to confronting their fear has been taken. Some of my best and most dedicated attendees over the years have been those people who entered our clinic the most nervous.What most patients who refuse to attend the dentist fail to realise is that techniques and procedures have moved on in dentistry since they were young.

Most procedures are now relatively painless. The vast majority of anecdotal stories we hear are the outliers, the exceptional complications, and they are normally the result of bad luck. Our staff are trained in handling anxious customers sympathetically throughout your visit. Our modern day instruments are now better engineered than before, allowing previously difficult extractions to be performed with predictable ease.

We have topical gels that numb the gums first. We routinely use pain-minimising anaesthetic techniques and can, on occasion, prescribe a mild oral sedative to ease your nerves. Most pain from injections comes from the rapid expansion of tissue caused by a quick delivery of the anaesthetic. Using warmed anaesthetic, delivered slowly with numbing cream applied first really negates any pain or discomfort, reducing it to the minimum. There is little to no pain, and we find that those with needle phobias can be treated using a gradual and stepped approach to treatment.

In short, whatever the reason for your nervousness or fear, come in and have a chat with us. We have a consultation room separate to the main clinic where we can discuss your dental needs and fears without even seeing the inside of our surgery. It is a safe haven within our clinic, and once we get to know you, and you us, we can begin to break down the cycle together.

For those who cannot overcome their anxieties, do not despair! There are alternatives. Medicines we can prescribe such as oral sedatives that are normally taken the morning of treatment. These medicines can calm you down enough to break the hold anxiety and fear has, enough to allow you to sit in the chair. If these do not work there is the option of inhalation and intravenous sedation or even a referral for general anaesthetic. But in all the years we have been treating nervous patients, the number of times we have referred a patient for GA is minimal. Then there is exposure therapy and cognitive behavioural treatment. These are provided by other healthcare professionals, but we can advise you on how to access these in conjunction with our treatment plans.

Your fear may seem insurmountable to you right now, but, rest assured, we have all the experience and know-how to help even the most difficult of cases. So, why not take the first step? Pick up the phone and call us on (01) 285 9067  or pop in for a chat.

We would be delighted to help you overcome this beast and break that vicious cycle.