We appreciate that many of our patients have dental phobias and experience anxiety before and during a visit to our practice. At The Gentle Dental, we do everything we can to make our patients as comfortable and relaxed as possible.
Dental Sedation for Anxious Patients
Going to the dentist can elicit debilitating fears and anxiety among both adults and children.
This can result from a bad experience in the past, feelings of claustrophobia with work being performed on the mouth, or just general fear over pain.
Dental phobias can be extremely serious, not just in terms of well-being for patients’ mental health but also due to the effect these fears can have on oral health.
If you suffer from dental anxiety, you may put off visiting the dentist, which can, of course, have a detrimental impact on the health of your teeth and gums.
Some common symptoms of dental phobia include:
- Continual avoidance or postponing booking appointments
- Enduring pain for longer than necessary due to the fear of visiting the dentist
- Bodily reactions (e.g. sweating palms, sore stomach, fast heart rate) when you hear dentistry sounds such as the drill
- Bad memories from childhood experiences with the dentist
While we do everything we can to make the experience as comfortable as possible for all our patients, we understand these anxieties can be difficult to overcome.
That’s why we offer our nervous patients the option of undergoing sedation when they come to us for treatment.
5-star sedation treatment
IV Sedation | Oral Sedation | Relaxation Techniques
We offer inhalation or intravenous sedation services to help nervous patients relax before and during their appointment.
We will conduct a full assessment to ensure your suitability for sedation and decide which type is best for you.
Though you will remain awake, the sedative will cause you to slip into an incredibly calm and relaxed state. When the treatment is over, you may not remember much about the procedure, if anything at all.
Patients who want a sedative must bring a friend or family member to drive them home after treatment.
The sedatives we use can take up to 24 hours to leave your system, so it may be a good idea to clear your diary for the following day.
Our Nervous Patient Process
Discover how our practice in East Molesey supports phobic and anxious patients.
If you experience dental anxiety, often it can be helpful to discuss the procedure with your dentist in detail before you begin.
Many anxious patients need to know what to expect, so they can mentally prepare for their treatment.
Our dentists are prepared and highly willing to do this.
We will provide you with a relaxing – calm environment where our team will take care of your oral health needs – all you need to do is tell us what you do and don’t like.
If you are sensitive or have a low pain tolerance and this is something causing your fear, we are happy to make case-by-case adjustments in regards to your treatment to make things as comfortable as possible. E.g. slowing down or speeding up procedure, increased medication etc.
We believe that you as the patient is in charge of how your treatment is completed, and we will do everything we can to accommodate your needs.
We foster a relaxed dynamic in our practice, so patients are more likely to feel at home and comfortable from the moment they step into our clinic.
We encourage our patients to bring friends or family members or additional support they need to ensure their treatment is as stress-free as possible.
Don’t worry, our front-office team will look after them while you are having your dental treatment.
If watching your favourite television series or movies makes you comfortable during your treatment, then have no fear – we have television screens on our ceilings (with Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney and Sky subscriptions) in addition to Bluetooth headphones and Sonos speakers so you can listen to your favourite albums, podcasts or radio station.
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