Nervousness around visiting the dentist is common, but dentists (and their support staff) are now very attuned to this and want to do everything they can to help nervous or phobic patients.

Much of the nervousness that patients feel can stem from a negative childhood experience. But like so many aspects of life; technology and techniques have changed markedly over the last 30 years and this particularly applies to the practice of dentistry. There are many aspects of a visit to the dentist that patients can be nervous about. However, rather than highlight them here (and raise blood pressure for some people!) we will highlight some positive considerations for the nervous patient.

Staff understand the need to engage and reassure patients (see videos of patients of Tewkesbury Dental). You will be greeted with a smile at Tewkesbury Dental by someone who wants to make your visit a pleasurable experience from the moment you walk through the door.

Staff and dentists will not judge you! This is a major reason why patients don’t visit a dentist and a simple problem can get much harder to remedy (so requiring, longer, more expensive treatment). We just want to see you pain-free and with a confident smile. Patients are delighted and so are we when a patient completes a course of treatment that ensures they give big smiles! The relief from patients can be huge and all say it was worth it.

Equipment has improved. Needles for injections are single use, therefore not blunt – many patients hardly feel the injection. It’s not actually the needle that patients feel but the anaesthetic entering their gum. A highly skilled dentist can deliver the anaesthetic, slowly at a constant flow – this is the key to a painless ‘numbing up’.

Drills are much quieter now. With higher revolutions are quicker and more effective, giving the dentist greater control.

We can take more time. One of the key benefits for a nervous patient is that at a private Practice, like Tewkesbury Dental, we can take more time. Treatment provided at a pace that is comfortable for the patient, may be all that is needed to reduce any nervousness.

At Tewkesbury Dental we know that there are many, many people who want to visit the dentist but for the reasons above (and more), don’t feel they can take the first step. That first step may just be walking in the door and having a chat, perhaps with a dentist and nowhere near a dental chair. If you know someone who is nervous about visiting a dentist, ask them to watch the videos on our website of what our patients say and and then come and talk us.

The following links may also be helpful:

www.dentalphobia.co.uk

www.doyoupanic.co.uk

anxietyuk.org.uk

www.painfreedentistry.uk.com/

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