Does the thought of attending a dental check-up make you break out in a sweat?

If it does, you aren’t alone!

Many patients, in fact as many as 7 in 10 dental patients, report having anxieties or phobias surrounding dental check-ups and care, making those worries that you have exceedingly common. And while you could opt to simply delay dental check-ups for as long as possible, this is unwise and can cause minor issues, such as plaque accumulation, to turn into something

more serious such as a decayed tooth that requires a root canal.

At our Dental Rooms practice, we are exceedingly supportive and compassionate towards our nervous dental patients and will always work with you to overcome your concerns. Our dentist Wimbledon does not take dental phobias lightly, and will always ensure that when our more nervous patients come to see us, that they feel comfortable and in control of the situation.

But how can our dentist Wimbledon help you to overcome your worries or phobias about check-ups? Read on to find out!

Open communication

As we mentioned earlier, our team is always compassionate towards our more nervous patients and so, if you have a phobia, just tell us!

Our dentist Wimbledon knows that in almost every case, a dental phobia is due to a bad experience in the past with either a poor dental practitioner or a painful procedure. And so, when you meet with our team for the first time, tell us about your concerns and worries and we will work with you to overcome them.

Relaxation techniques

Ever heard of deep-breathing techniques?

Although our team cannot train you in the art of deep breathing and clearing the mind, we can help you to find these resources online and can talk you through how to practise them. As you deep breathe in our chair, your body will relax as your muscles cease tensing, allowing you to feel calmer. In turn, this will allow your body to associate being in the dental chair with a feeling of calmness and not panic.

Distraction

If the sounds of the surgery make you nervous, you can use either your own iPod, phone or another auditory distraction technique to once again calm your nerves while listening to your favourite song or even an audiobook.

As long as you don’t mind our team tapping you on the shoulder to provide instructions every few minutes, this can be very helpful!

Intravenous sedation

IV sedation is an injection in your arm that allows you to feel calm while our team works on your mouth; it is recommended for more extreme cases of dental phobia.

Following IV sedation, you will need a friend or family member to escort you home.

Inhalation sedation

Nitrous oxide or laughing gas is another way to ease your nerves, but does not have the groggy, lasting, after effects of IV sedation.

Inhaled through a mask, this will allow you to feel relaxed while our team looks at your teeth.

So no excuses for not getting the dental help that you need!