Dental anxiety is very common, with it affecting over half of the adult population. But why? Well there are a few contributory factors, not least that we’re often shown scary images of dentists through the media starting from an early age. Then of course children might pick up on the fear of their parents who may have had a very different experience of the dentist than most people will undergo now. Whatever the reason, dental anxiety can cause really big problems, so what is it and can your dentist in Molesey help?
What is dental anxiety?
Dental anxiety is when a person has a fear of the dentist, it might mean they put off attending check-ups or get really worried and stressed prior to appointments. Unlike dental phobia, dental anxiety means patients are still able to get themselves to appointments, but it causes them varying amounts of unwanted stress. If, however, you are someone who is so scared you can’t even think about attending, then you could be experiencing dental phobia and should be contacting your doctor for further support and information.
How can our dentist in Molesey help?
We at Smilessence want all of our patients to feel happy and safe when they come to visit us at the practice and so have put together a special list of all the ways we can help you and you can help yourself.
How we can help you
Firstly, always know we are just a phone call away and have a large team of trained specialists ready to help and assist you with any worries, questions or concerns you might have. We would much rather talk things through with you than have you worrying when you need not.
Secondly, you can come and see us at any time. If you feel visiting the practice could be a real help to you, know that our doors are always open. If you’re worried about our dentist in Molesey then coming and making yourself familiar with the space could be beneficial to calming some of those nerves.
Thirdly, you can work with our dentist in Molesey to find good in-chair solutions. All the dentists here will talk you through ways to calm your nerves. Working out hand signals to stop any procedure they are doing is a great way to take back control and feel more confident.
How to help yourself
There are a few more things you can do ahead of any dental appointment to help yourself too. You can bring headphones and an eye mask if you need to. Try to avoid any googling of treatments and book an early appointment. Bringing a friend or loved one and practising some breathing exercises prior to the appointment can help, as well as talking through any worries you have.
Here to help
If you think you or a loved one could be experiencing dental anxiety or even a phobia then feel free to call the practice and receive some advice on the next steps from one of our friendly and professional team. We really want all our patients to feel safe and confident when they visit us at the practice.
