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PUBLISHED ON 04/03/22
Visiting the dentist can be a little scary sometimes, especially if you don’t know what to expect. If you are one of the 13-24% of people with dental phobia, trust us, you’re not alone. Even as dentists, we can get a little anxious about our own annual check-ups and procedures. If you’re not comfortable at the dentists, there’s quite a lot to be afraid of – especially if you’ve had a negative experience in the past.
We find that dental fear or anxiety often sits on a spectrum. It can range from mild anxiety to a full-blown phobia. For the first, it’s a matter of addressing the trigger – whether it is the loud noises, the financial anxiety, the fear of pain, or the fear of the unknown. However, we find those who experience the latter, the fear has grown to a state where-in the patient will avoid the dentist until the oral pain becomes worse than any anxiety. It’s important we manage our dental anxiety as avoiding annual check-ups can significantly affect our oral health and general wellbeing.
Dental anxiety can manifest in various ways – both emotionally and physically. Those who experience any form of dental fear might find it causes sweating, heart palpitations, low blood pressure, distress, crying, and panic attacks. These symptoms often have one result – it causes the patient to avoid or miss their dental appointments. This may seem harmless at first, but after some time, it can cause initially simple dental issues to grow into something complex and require drastic measures. One of the most critical hygiene practices is the 6 month check-up. It helps us discover issues early and allows us to treat them quickly – and often painlessly. Missing a number of these check-ups due to anxiety can make preventable oral issues manifest.
At Maidstone Dental, we’re incredibly empathetic to those with dental anxiety. Some of us have experienced it first-hand. We completely understand your fears. That’s why we’ve put safeguards to ensure our patients are as comfortable as possible.
We find that this is the most common fear among all our patients. It’s completely understandable to be afraid of something that could cause you real pain. That’s why we make it a point to take the time and make you feel comfortable. Before any procedure, we discuss what it entails and let you know if there will be any pain involved. If so, we provide an anaesthetic that takes effect quickly, numbing the area so you’ll only feel slight pressure. We will also talk you through the entire procedure while it’s happening. This allows you to anticipate everything that’s happening in real-time. It also allows us to proceed at a pace that you’re comfortable with and give you a chance to stop us at any point that you become anxious.
Before any procedure, we will discuss all your anxieties – including any that involves needles. Often, an option might be to use a topical gel to numb the gums before any injection. Discussing your fear with us will allow us to find ways to distract you – including allowing you to listen to your music or favourite podcast or simply just distracting you by talking to you.
Many patients are afraid because they don’t know what to expect. This can cause them to feel helpless or out of control. We will do our best to make you feel comfortable by talking to you through the procedure – allowing you to ask questions or voice your concerns. We will never force you to do anything you’re uncomfortable with and always strive to work with our clients to give them the most peaceful experience.
Dental procedures can be costly. At Maidstone Dental, we make it a point to be upfront and honest about all costs involved. We will never conduct any procedure without informed consent. If procedures are costly, we will do our best to develop a payment plan or an alternative treatment.
We understand that visiting the dentist can be embarrassing, especially if you’re self-conscious about your teeth and breath. We want to reassure you that we aren’t in the business of judgement. We just want to ensure all our patients leave with clean, healthy smiles. We will do our best to hear your concerns and to make you comfortable enough to allow us to check your teeth.
Book a consultation with us to discuss any anxieties, inquiries, or issues you may have. We promise that you’re not just another name on the list for us. We want you to feel welcomed and comfortable we us and will do everything in our power to make the experience as peaceful – even pleasurable – as possible.
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