19th January 2023
How we help our patients overcome their dental anxiety
Dental anxiety and how to overcome it
Does the thought of going to the dentist make you feel anxious? Perhaps you have missed your routine check-up a few years in a row and are dreading the first visit back. Or maybe you have a procedure coming up and aren’t sure what to expect from it.
If you don’t overcome your dental anxiety, it can lead you to delay or avoid dental treatment. This is why our professional team work so hard to make our patients feel at home.
Providing a wide range of comprehensive dental services for the whole family, we understand that you can experience dental anxiety at any age. Our experienced clinicians will take the time to listen to your concerns and help you work through your nerves.
Let us talk you through some of the ways we can work together to help you overcome your dental anxiety.
Why am I experiencing dental anxiety?
If you’re experiencing dental anxiety, it could be for a number of reasons. For example:
A bad previous experience
If you’ve already had a bad experience at the dentist, you could be feeling anxious before your next visit. You may remember a procedure from childhood as particularly painful or remember feeling frightened.
Children often don’t fully understand what is happening when they visit the dentist. When you visit our practice in Tunbridge Wells, our compassionate clinicians will keep you informed throughout your treatment plan. We will discuss with you what to expect before, during and after each appointment, providing you with a numbing gel or pain relief when it is necessary. Our team can even administer sedation for nervous dental patients if needed.
Not knowing what to expect
You may be a nervous patient because you don’t know what to expect from your visit. Hearing terminology that you don’t understand could make you feel apprehensive about what’s coming. When you visit our warm and welcoming practice, our team will make sure you have the space to ask any questions you may have. We will take the time to make sure that you understand each and every step of your treatment plan, explaining it in a language that you can follow.
Poor dental hygiene
If you haven’t kept on top of your poor dental hygiene, you could be feeling embarrassed or worried about what our dentists might say. Here at The Town House Dental Practice, you can feel assured that our kind clinicians will never judge you. We understand that you may have neglected your oral health for a number of reasons. All we want to do is provide you with the tools to take care of your hygiene better in future. We will work alongside you to decide on a treatment plan that encourages you to look after your oral health at home. Our clinicians treat each and every one of our patients in the same way – with care and compassion.
How we can work with you to overcome your dental anxiety
Discuss your concerns with our clinicians
Our team are always available before, during and after your dental appointment to discuss any concerns you may have. If you’re feeling anxious before your dental appointment, talk to us. We can chat with you throughout your appointment or procedure to keep your mind distracted. Our clinicians can show you the instruments we are using and exactly what they’re used for to stop your mind from wandering about what to expect.
We will happily provide you with noise-cancelling headphones to block out the sound of any equipment. You can also find TVs in our treatment rooms to help keep your mind distracted.
Book your routine check-up
Booking your appointment is the first step to actually going. If you have an appointment in place, you may feel more obligated to turn up. Each time you attend a routine check-up, the easier it will become, especially in the calming and relaxing environment that our practice provides. We can even book you in for your next appointment while you attend your current one to save you a phone call.
Bring a loved one to your appointment
We all need a bit of support sometimes and bringing a loved one to your next appointment could do the trick. A friend or family member may be able to keep your mind distracted and reassure you that you have nothing to be afraid of. If you’d like to bring a loved one to your next appointment or procedure, just let us know.
To learn more about some of the ways we help our nervous dental patients, please click here.
Let us put your mind at ease
Here at The Town House Dental Practice, our clinicians have years of experience in dealing with anxious patients. We are incredibly skilled at speaking to patients that may be nervous about their routine check-up or next procedure. When you visit our welcoming practice in Tunbridge Wells, you’ll instantly feel at ease and able to share whatever is on your mind. Our team will happily discuss with you the best ways to tackle your dental anxiety and make your appointments easier to face.
If you’d like to learn more about how we can help you overcome your anxiety, please call our friendly team today by contacting your local Town House Dental Practice. We look forward to hearing from you.