Nervous Patients

Only a handful of people enjoy going to the dentist. For many individuals, previous experiences from childhood dental clinics or traumatic dental treatments have left them with underlying dental fears and phobias of the dentist, which in turn leads to missed dental appointments, neglected teeth and in worse cases dental pain.

At West Byfleet Dental & Implant Centre, the whole dental care team is sympathetic to your anxiety, and we will listen carefully to your concerns and take everything entirely at your pace so that you can eventually look forward to your visits.

Why are people so anxious about visiting the dentist?

There are many reasons why people are nervous about visiting the dentist. These are the most common reasons we come across at the West Byfleet Dental & Implant Centre:

• Previous negative experience.
• Not being in control.
• Unsympathetic dentists.
• Embarrassed about the condition of teeth and gums.
• Fear of dental instruments being placed in the mouth or gagging tendency.
• Fear of the unknown.
• Noise of dental instruments

Possible Solutions

The first step you can take in overcoming dental phobia is to recognise it and understand that something can be done about it. There are several ways that we can help you overcome your anxieties, and many things that you can do for yourself:

• Communicating your fears and concerns. At West Byfleet Dental & Implant Centre we are good listeners, and this can help you relieve your anxieties. It is important that you can talk about your fears and concerns with us openly and comfortably.
• A full explanation of the procedures involved. Often something as simple as us explaining how the dental procedure will be carried out step by step, or giving you the opportunity to ask questions, will bring you reassurance from the off.
• Trying to be open and honest with your dentist if you feel embarrassed about the condition of your teeth or your lack of previous dental care. The most important thing is that you’re taking a step in the right direction to resolve this.
• Using a pain-free injection technique. Your dentist will often apply a numbing gel (topical anaesthetic) to your gums before giving you the injection.
• Sedation. We also offer dental treatment under sedation. Please speak to your dentist about it.