Scared to Come to the Dentist

Scared of the Dentist? Here’s how we can Help 

Hello readers! Welcome back to our blog, in this issue we’ll be trying to help out our friends with a bit of dental anxiety by providing you with ways to manage and overcome your fear. We understand coming to the dentist can be a tough battle for many people, especially if you’ve had unpleasant experiences in the past when you were younger, and we’re here to help as best as we can! Remember, you’re not alone. Dental anxiety is estimated to affect as many as 36% of the global population, with 12% having a very severe fear of the dentist. Avoiding the dentist can have serious consequences to not only your dental health, but your overall health. More recent studies show that our whole body is connected to our overall well-being, so anything that can happen to your heart, mind and body can also affect and reflect the state of your teeth. So, tell us your story, let us know how we can help you calm down, and we’ll try to come up with some ways to make your appointment as relaxing as possible.  

Before the appointment  

Before booking your dental appointment, take a moment to think about how you can best be supported. Have a chat with a trusted loved one, discuss what makes you anxious, and build strategies together to help better your stress and anxiety. If you would like for your loved one to attend with you, we have a seat next to the chair and ready for them to provide some emotional support. Make sure to get enough sleep the night before. We want to make sure that you’re well rested and prepared when you come in for your appointment. Having less sleep can trigger feelings of anxiety, frustration and emotional instability, so try to get to bed early and sleep well for your appointment. We would also encourage you to avoid caffeine on the morning of your appointment, especially for people that are caffeine sensitive, as it may increase your feelings of anxiety. 

When booking your appointment, we recommend having it booked early in the morning, if it’s your first task of the day you can relax for the remainder if needed. Late afternoon appointments can sometimes give you stress throughout the day, especially if you’re thinking anxiously about it and waiting for your appointment, so we recommend early bookings to best comfort you. Additionally, if you’re calling us over the phone, let us know you’re anxious. We can reserve more time for you to settle and talk so nobody feels rushed. It sometimes helps to bring something that can distract or comfort you in moments of anxiety, so a fidget toy or stress ball is perfectly okay to have! We also have entertainment in the form of a TV available for you on the ceiling of our clinic, if there’s a podcast, show or movie that you like or helps calm you, let us know and we can pop it on. If you don’t like the sounds of our machines while we’re looking after your teeth, you can also bring your noise cancelling headphones or earbuds to the appointment, just try to make sure you can still hear our voices (just in case we have to ask you to open wider).  

During the appointment 

Now that you’re here, we recommend having a chat with your dental professional, let us know that you’re anxious. We’ll walk you through all the steps, explain things more thoroughly for you, and try to create a relaxing environment. We can create a signal together, like raising your hand, so that if you feel overwhelmed or would like a break, we can know immediately. We understand that during the appointment there will be moments of discomfort and sensitivity, so we encourage you to take deep breaths and relax your muscles as best as you.  

After the appointment 

Going to the dentist can be a challenge so reward yourself. It’s difficult to confront something you’ve been putting on hold for a while, so give yourself a pat on the back and maybe a cheeky snack. Don’t forget to think about what you’ve achieved, remind yourself that it’s a necessary task to keep yourself healthy and out of pain, and try to come more often to the dentist. By coming more often, we can monitor and ensure that there are no abnormal changes in your mouth, so we generally recommend all our patients come back every 6 months for a general check-up and clean. Sometimes if we have any concerns, we might recommend that you come in every 3 months to monitor, or if you’d like to have your teeth cleaned more regularly.  

For our young ones: 

If you’re a parent with an anxious child, we encourage you to bring your children to the dentist more often, even if it’s just to sit on the side during your own appointments, so they become more use to the dental environment and won’t be too scared when it’s their own turn. We want kids to feel comfortable — not afraid — at the dentist. Traumatizing experiences are something we work hard to avoid, so, something that you can do at home that helps us out is playing dentist at home! Let them know what going to the dentist feels like, count their teeth, use an electric toothbrush and clean their teeth, have them try and be the dentist – make it a fun experience. That way, they can come back happy and excited for another sticker.  

Severe Dental Anxiety: 

Sometimes, despite all the strategies we try and the breathing exercises we practice, deep-rooted fears can take time to work through. If you or anyone you know struggles with severe dental phobia, past abuse, and mental health conditions that significantly impact daily life, seeing a mental health professional can also greatly assist you in daily needs. For our patients requiring treatment, we may be able to offer treatment in chair or we can refer you towards the correct pathways with treatment options that include: 

• • Anti-anxiety medication to be taken prior to the appointment 
  • Laughing gas (nitrous oxide) for mild to moderate sedation and quick recovery 
  • IV sedation for significant procedures or severe anxiety 
  • General anesthetic, for rare and extreme cases with complex dental procedures 

If coming to the dentist is something you struggle with, we’re here to help. If you have any concerns, questions, or would like to extend your appointment to better help your anxiety, book your appointment today by contacting us on the lines below:  

📞 call us on (02) 7228 7272 

🌐 online at https://truesmilesdental.com.au/appointments 

📧 email us on info@truesmilesdental.com.au 

 We thank you for tuning in for another blog, and hope to see you in the next one!