Ace Dental

Most people don’t enjoy going to the dentist, but for some people, the feeling can be more than that. There are a growing number of people who suffer from dental anxiety, which can be a crippling fear of either visiting a dentist or of undergoing any kind of treatment once you’re here.

If this sounds familiar to you, then you will be glad to know that our team welcome nervous patients, and always do everything that we can to make sure that you feel at ease at all times.

What are the symptoms of dental phobia?

There are lots of symptoms of dental phobia, and no two people suffering from it will be the same. However, there are some things that you can look for, which we’ve listed below:

  • Avoiding making your check-up appointments, often waiting for far too long between visits.
  • Only making appointments when you are in serious pain or have damaged your teeth.
  • Making excuses to avoid having to make dental appointments.
  • Worrying about dental appointments when you have made them, even though they might not be for a few weeks.

You may also find that you have general anxiety symptoms on the day of your appointment and sometimes the days leading up to it, which can include:

  • Sweating
  • A rapid heart rate
  • Crying for no notable reason
  • Worrying about potential situations that probably won’t happen
  • Withdrawing from social activities or work commitments
  • Headaches and general physical unrest

Why does a dental phobia develop?

There can be lots of reasons that dental phobias can develop, mostly due to something that you’ve experienced in the past. If for example, you remember a traumatic experience involving your teeth when you were younger, this could impact on how you feel about going to the dentist now.

On the other hand, you may have heard stories from older family members – most often parents or grandparents – of traumatic treatments that they had when they were younger. If this is the case, however, you must remember that treatments have changed and improved a lot, and the majority of treatments that are carried out do not cause pain at all during the procedure.

Should I tell my dentist that I’m nervous?

It’s always best to talk to us about your nerves, as this means that we are sure to understand exactly how you feel before you come in to see us. There are a number of ways that you can do this, including when you phone to book your appointment, via email, or even on the day just before we start looking at your teeth.

No matter when you let us know that you’re nervous, you can be sure that we will make you feel at ease as much as possible.

How we can help you

We find that the best way to calm nerves is to offer patients as much information as possible. Therefore, we always ensure that we tell you exactly what we’re doing as we do it, meaning nothing will take you by surprise. We will check that we’re okay to proceed with anything that happens, and nothing will happen unless you’re completely okay with it.

We will also make sure that you have plenty of pain relief during procedures, and we can also offer you sedation in some situations if you feel that this would help your nerves.

How you can help yourself

A lot of things that help anxiety can be done on your own, and this is certainly the case here. For example, you should book your appointment at a time that is not stressful, so that you won’t have to drive through busy traffic or excuse yourself from work. You should make sure that you arrive early for your appointment, to give you a chance to settle down.

If the sounds of the dental surgery make you anxious, you are welcome to use your headphones while we carry out your treatment.

It may help to bring a friend or family member with you. We are more than happy for you to do this if it makes you feel better.

No matter what helps you, our team are always supportive of anxious patients, as we do everything we can to make sure that everyone is able to access the dental treatment that they need.

Call on 020 7485 3711 to find out how our team can help you improve your smile.

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