On the list of phobias experienced by people across the UK, dental phobia often ranks in the top 10. While feeling a bit on edge about an upcoming dental appointment is somewhat normal, a phobia surrounding dentistry can leave people in a sweat when they walk past a dental surgery.
While dental treatment is often painless and less invasive than it was years ago, many people who have a dental phobia have often had a bad experience in their early childhood, which has impacted on them as an adult.
Sadly, even the most diligent and thorough tooth cleaning at home is not enough to maintain a healthy mouth, meaning that you will have to visit our dentists in Harley Street at some point soon.
Don’t despair, dentists around the world are trained in ways to help patients overcome their anxiety and do not take a judgemental approach to their work. They want you to have the best oral health you can and want to stop you from experiencing preventable dental issues.
Below is a list of things to remember when you undertake work with our dentists in Harley Street and includes ways your dentist will help you overcome your fear.
They have seen worse
A person with a dental phobia is going to avoid a trip to their surgery at all costs, even if they are in unbearable pain. A focus group exploring dental phobia once found that it wasn’t the worry of treatment or even the pain, it was the fear of judgement that kept people from going for their check-ups or going in to undertake dental work.
Rest assured, even if you think you have the worst set of teeth in the world, your dentist has seen worse. They have undertaken many years of training and have been exposed to a myriad of dental issues. A few cavities and an extraction are unlikely to phase them. In a bid to keep people visiting the dentist, all dentists operate their surgeries with a non-judgemental approach and offer advice instead of criticism.
Soundless drills
Worried about the sound of the drill?
Ask if there is an option for our dentists to use a soundless drill, many surgeries have these to hand and if they don’t, they can supply you with earplugs or headphones that play relaxing music.
You are in control
If you are an extremely nervous patient, explain to our dentists in Harley Street your concerns before getting in the chair. This will ensure that they understand the extent of your worries and will give you the option to say what you are comfortable undertaking during your first visit.
They will then reassure you through the procedure and will only perform what you have asked them to do. This builds trust and is commonly used to establish a good relationship between the most phobic patients and their dental practitioners. Keeping an eye on your dental health is too important to ignore and our dentists will do their best to make it a relaxing experience for the most fearful of patients.