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Benhill Dental Practice

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Category: Nervous Patients

How do we help nervous patients?

Like pain, anxiety can be debilitating. Fear and anxiety prevent you from making the most of life’s opportunities. This fear, when applied to healthcare needs such as visiting the dentist for oral health checks, raises the risk of medical complications.

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Unfortunately, there are many nervous patients Sutton who run the risk of developing dreaded dental diseases for fear of the dental environment. This fear and anxiety can have many causes, from embarrassment over the state of teeth and gums to fear of the dental drill to previous unpleasant dental visits.

At Benhill Dental Practice, we understand the fears and anxieties of nervous patients Sutton, which is why we are proud to be a dental practice that accommodates these needs. We know well the real consequences of not receiving professional dental care when you need it.

Gentle dentistry for nervous patients Sutton

Different dental practices tackle dental anxiety in different ways. We prefer the gentle and caring approach where we focus on using techniques that ensure nervous patients feel in control at all times.

In addition to helping nervous patients feel in control, we also place significant importance on seeing to patient comfort. Thanks to modern dental techniques, many treatments and procedures can be performed with as little discomfort as possible, and for procedures that might provide discomfort, we are happy to use local anaesthesia so that patient comfort is a priority.

Often patients feel anxious about dental care when they do not know what to expect from the prescribed treatment plan. To help ease this anxiety, we take the time to talk with the patient about what to expect during treatment and run through guidelines that apply before, during and after the procedure. Answering questions and concerns is key to helping them overcome their fears.

Why is professional dental care necessary?

There are plenty of big benefits to routine dental check-ups. Good oral health is necessary for much more than just strong teeth and healthy gums. It may surprise patients to know that the general health of the wider body is just as reliant on professional dental care as teeth and gums are.

Professional dental care secures the health of oral structures to enable biting and chewing for effective and efficient digestion. Good nutrition ensures the physical body is strong enough to function and remain healthy to fight off illness.

In addition to keeping the mouth healthy, regular professional care also keeps the mouth disease-free. This is also important for physical health as researchers have discovered evidence that shows bad oral bacteria also have a role to play in advancing medical complications that affect the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.

Pneumonia, heart disease and strokes are some of the common medical conditions that can be triggered by disease-causing bacteria from the mouth entering the bloodstream and making their way to the heart and lungs.

Visiting the dentist for routine dental check-ups should be seen as an investment in oral and general health. Nervous patients should find a dental practice like Benhill Dental Practice that looks to the comfort and care of patients with dental anxieties. For a confident and caring approach to dental care, schedule an appointment with us today.

Nervous patients and trips to the dentist

Understanding the fears and anxieties surrounding your visits

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For as long as you can remember you may have felt an uncertainty when it comes to the notion of dentists and visits to the dental practice. It may be that a bad experience for you or someone you know dented your confidence about the whole process, or it may be that you just didn’t visit much as a child, leaving your imagination to run wild when thinking about what a trip to the dental practice would be like. No matter what your background is, or how you came to have fears about the dental practice, rest assured that you are not alone. In fact, statistics for 2019-2020 revealed that 75% of adults throughout the world have some level of dental anxiety or fear. So, whilst you may feel alone with your fears, know that others have been where you are.

At Benhill Dental Practice, we understand how debilitating fears and anxieties can be, which is why working with you to suppress and hopefully overcome them is one of our priorities. Below are some of the ways in which we hope we can help.

Opening up communication

Taking the time to get to know you is something our dental team will always strive to do. Whilst we do not expect to become best friends overnight, when working with nervous patients Sutton, learning about each other and taking things slowly can make all the difference. From adapting the treatment options, through to creating breathing space within an appointment, our dental team have you covered and with a little communication we can hopefully work together to ease your fears slowly.

By opening up to our dental team, we will also be able to work together with you to ensure that you are not waiting around fretting all day and will get you in for an early appointment should you so wish. Preparation is always key, so let us know how you feel and together we can come up with a plan to suit you.

Setting the dental practice scene

For some nervous patients Sutton, the layout of the dental practice can make them feel dread. With this in mind, taking the time to view the practice without an appointment in place can be a big help. From the waiting room to the layout of the dental chair within the dentist’s room, each part once broken down without any pressure can assist in easing the uncertainty within. Contacting us to arrange a quiet visit is easy and can be done online, popping in or with a simple phone call.

Is there a possibility of sedation?

Although some dental surgeries do offer sedation, at our particular dental practice we do not offer this option and prefer to spend time with our nervous patients Sutton. Working with them to reduce and hopefully eliminate their fears is our top priority and no matter how much time it takes, we are there to support and guide them through these difficult anxieties.

The art of treating nervous patients in Sutton!

At Benhill Dental Practice, we are used to dealing with nervous patients Sutton, and by using gentle dentistry, we are able to help our patients overcome their anxiety. Our dental practice has been providing the community with care and treatment on this site for over 80 years. Dentistry has changed over this period and is now more inclusive than it has ever been. Patients want to be better informed, and we have embraced this by empowering our patients and providing them with all the information they need to make an informed decision about their treatments. Armed with the knowledge about the procedures and the treatments available for their particular conditions, they can always feel in control.

Building a relationship

To treat nervous patients Sutton, it is necessary to build a relationship with our patients. We encourage our patients to tell us about their fears, desires and expectations. Understanding these emotions and treating each patient as an individual allows us to administer personal dental treatment and build trust. Nervousness is usually the result of bad experiences or the expectations of a possible bad experience. By practising gentle dentistry, we carefully navigate each procedure by reassuring our nervous patients Sutton through each step of the procedure. We identify any possible discomfort and help our patients to negotiate this in an affirmative way. As we are honest with our patients, they soon learn to trust us, and we encourage them to let us know when they feel any anxiety so that we can talk them through the process of overcoming it.

Our teeth are vital to good overall health

Once we have lost our baby teeth, the next set that we grow is the final set that we must try to make last for the rest of our lives. Our teeth are designed to perform a specific function, which is to allow us to chew our food well enough for our stomachs to be able to digest what we eat. Unfortunately, some patients are born with misaligned teeth or jaws, which makes chewing food difficult. Fortunately, decades of dental science and technological advancements have provided solutions to many conditions.

Targeted solutions

For many years, metal braces were the solution to realigning teeth, and now, that original appliance has been changed over the years and is more comfortable and effective in what it does. Additionally, a number of other versions have made the experience of correcting certain dental disorders more pleasant. Some versions are now almost invisible as they can be fitted behind the teeth or are tooth-coloured so that they are less conspicuous. Furthermore, a new version of tooth straightener has been developed, which is made from a clear dental material and fits over the teeth.

Dental treatment with nervous patients in mind

All of these developments have helped to alleviate dental anxiety as more and more patients are being introduced to a more gentle way of receiving dental care and treatment. Dental anxiety can be treated, and we work with our patients to make their dental experience more pleasant so that proper dental maintenance is achievable.

Are you worried about seeing the dentist? How our team helps nervous patients at Benhill Dental Practice

When you have had a bad time during a dental appointment, it can really impact negatively on your life.

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In the UK, three out of four people have expressed concerns about needing to attend dental check-ups and dental phobias remain fairly common. And while it is all too easy to avoid the dentist if you are a nervous patient, this is rarely a good idea; it can cause less serious issues to become more complex and can allow significant problems to go undetected.

If you are an anxious dental patient, you will be glad to hear that dental care has evolved and now, all dental teams are trained to handle even the most anxious of patients; including ours!

At Benhill Dental Practice, we are proud of the services that we offer to nervous patients Sutton. We aim to help them to overcome their fears and anxieties without the use of sedatives. We build a relationship with all of our patients, to change their perception of dental care and to help them make the best choices possible for their dental health.

How do we help our nervous patients Sutton to relax without sedative medications? Read on to find out!

We aim for pain-free dental care

If you have had a bad or uncomfortable experience in the past with a dental team, you will be glad to know that with our emphasis on providing dental care with as little discomfort as possible, we can help.

When our nervous patients Sutton attend our surgery, we use state-of-the-art tools and medical guidance to make every procedure as comfortable as feasible and can assure you that your visits with us will be with far less stress.

Communication

As we mentioned before, when you come to us at Benhill Dental Practice, we will work with you to help you overcome your phobias and concerns.

We have helped many anxious patients overcome their concerns about the dentist and we really want to help you too! If you feel worried about attending your first appointment with us, please inform our friendly reception team and we will accommodate you and make you feel welcome.

Prevention

We touched on this briefly at the start of this article; when it comes to nervousness and dental care, it can often act as a hindrance towards getting help.

And so, while we will aim to restore any issues caused by lapses in dental care, we will also take steps to ensure that any and all potential issues are prevented.

This can include scales and polishes for those at risk of gum disease, and the application of fluoride sealants for those with acid damage. So when you visit us in the future, it won’t be linked to discomfort or associated concerns!

Local anaesthetic

We do not offer sedatives to our patients but, as we mentioned earlier, we always aim to provide pain-free dental care.

And so, when you come to us we will use as much local anaesthetic as required to help you feel comfortable (and numb!) while we work on your mouth.

Dental anxiety: what to do if you’re a nervous patient

If just the thought of visiting the dentist brings you feelings of dread and terror, you might be suffering from dental anxiety. The fortunate news is that you’re not alone; many individuals suffer from this to a degree. The bad news is that dental anxiety can affect your oral health.

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At Benhill Dental Practice, we’re trained to treat nervous patients in Sutton and will help you to put your mind at ease during your checkups with us.

If you’re searching for reading material to encourage you to overcome this relevant and commonly experienced problem, read on.

Why am I like this?

Many people could be classified as nervous patients in Sutton and having dental anxiety doesn’t appear randomly, but can result from the following.

  • You might be going through trauma, caused by an early childhood experience with another dentist or medical practitioner.
  • You might have a fear of pain, the unknown, or anxieties over gagging.
  • You don’t not like being in control.
  • You hate your personal spaces being invaded, and having a dentist operating from your mouth can be extremely invasive.

How can I ease my dental anxiety?

Avoiding the dentist is the worst thing for nervous patients in Sutton, as avoidance behaviour only exacerbates minor dental issues, turning them into more significant ones.

To the contrary, seeing the dental practitioner regularly is the best thing for nervous patients in Sutton. If you take care of your teeth, and there are no underlying issues, these checkups are straightforward and wonderfully non-memorable.

Walking through the doors of your local dentist; easier said than done, right? Here are some helpful tips you can look into to help you remain relaxed and composed, and to make the situation less of a personal ordeal.

  • Find a local dentist practitioner experienced with ill-at-ease patients, a doctor specialised in dental anxiety is an even better choice.
  • If you’re seeing a new dentist, be upfront about your problem. That way, they can readjust the treatments and procedures as needed.
  • Ask if you can have a look around the dentist’s office before your visit. That way you can get a feel of the place before your appointment.
  • Bring a friend along with you, as having the support will help you. If it’s alright with your dental practitioner, ask if they can sit in the room with you while you get your procedure done.
  • Schedule an initial consultation first before you get any procedures done. That way, you can build rapport with your dentist. Feeling comfortable in their presence will make the experience easier.
  • Choose an appointment time in the morning. That way you won’t spend the whole day overthinking and ruminating about your upcoming appointment.
  • Meditate or employ breathing techniques to help you relax.
  • Listening to your favourite tunes to help distract you and will also drown out the clinical sounds associated with the dentist.
  • Ask about conscious sedation if you don’t think you can go through the appointment using more holistic methods. Conscious sedation will help you relax but make you feel drowsy. Make sure you don’t drive home afterwards.

We can help you be less scared of the dentist

If you think you are weird to be scared of the dentist at your age, you will be relieved to know that you are not alone. In fact, about 13% of the world’s population suffers from dental phobia. Phobia is more than being a bit nervous that you might have to have a filling. It’s the extreme end of nervousness, with trembling and sweats and even full-blown panic attacks.

Nervous Patients in SuttonIf 13% of people worldwide suffer from feelings that extreme, you are totally entitled to be scared. In the dental world, we like to lump the spectrum of fear of the dentist into one umbrella term of nervous patients. We recognise that you exist in great numbers and that your fears are to be taken seriously. It’s not just in your mind, it’s in your body too.

The trouble is that when you are scared of the dentist, it can be all too easy to put off your check-up appointments. Finding excuses not to go is simple and before you know it, it’s been 6, 9, 12 months, maybe even years since your last check-up.

The trouble with avoiding check-ups is that problems that would have been quick and easy to fix become more serious and require more invasive treatment. That tiny filling turns into root canal therapy. Plaque become tartar becomes gum disease becomes root planing and gum grafts.

It’s important to realise that dentistry has come on in leaps and bounds over the past couple of decades and we now have much gentler techniques and lots of local anaesthetic, so you never have to feel a thing when we treat you.

Dental clinics are also much nicer environments to be in. Benhill Dental Practice in Sutton is designed to make you feel welcome and relaxed. The staff too have been trained to help you feel at home as soon as you step in through the door.

We will take time to listen to your fears and work out strategies to deal with them. We also have sedation if you think you are not going to be able to go through treatment without feeling very anxious.

Come on back to the dentist and feel great about your smile again.

Do you experience dental phobia?

If you are scared of going to the dentist, you can take comfort in the fact that about 13% of the world’s population suffer from dental phobia. Dental phobia is a spectrum, just like so many things these days. It’s probably fair to say that most of us feel a bit nervous about going to the dentist, but for some nervous patients that can tip over into downright terror, with the sweats, trembling and shortness of breath.

Nervous Patients in SuttonSometimes this phobia of the dentist has been formed by a terrible experience in the past, or it may have been passed down to us from parents who were also terrified of the dentist. However the fear has come about, these days, the dentistry profession recognises that it can play a part in making visits to the dentist a whole lot easier and more relaxing than they used to be.

Here at Benhill Dental Practice, our staff have all had years of experience in treating nervous patients in Sutton. We are not big fans of sedation. This is because we believe that modern dentistry is now so good that all great treatments are practically pain-free and any pain in complex procedures can be dealt with using a local anaesthetic. Of course, if we do give you a local anaesthetic, we will allow the time to make sure you are properly numb before we begin treatment.

Aside from that, we take a very gentle, caring approach to relax you during treatment in the calm and relaxing environment of our dental surgery in Sutton.

We are also firm believers in preventive dentistry rather than curative dentistry. If you come for regular check-ups and carry out a diligent oral hygiene routine at home, your teeth need never get so bad that you need to have painful, lengthy treatments for infections, or have to have teeth removed and replaced.

If you are a nervous patient, be sure to let us know so that we can talk to you about your worries and work with you to create a safe environment for you during your treatment with us.

Care for anxious patients

For up to 13% of people in western countries, severe fear of dentists or dentophobia is a very real problem. This can prevent some people from ever visiting their dentist, and make it a very unpleasant experience for others. In fact, dentophobia is the main reason that people avoid having the treatment they need. Sadly, many people would rather suffer pain, discomfort, missing teeth or gum problems rather than seek help. Some people feel out of control while others have had a bad experience or simply get nervous at the thought of attending an appointment or having work carried out. At Benhill Dental Practice, we want to make treatment accessible to everyone so we make sure that you feel as comfortable as possible.

Dental Phobia in SuttonThe personal approach

Many of our patients come to us via personal recommendation so we are confident that we offer a service that people are happy with. We take time to talk to you about your treatment so you know exactly what to expect and can ask any questions that you need to. For many of our patients who experience dental phobia in Sutton, we have restored their faith in coming to the dentist and allowed them to have the dental care and procedures that are required. Our staff are sympathetic, reassuring and friendly and do everything they can to put you at ease.

Modern techniques

As well as offering a caring approach we are pleased to say that advances in modern technology have enabled many procedures to be far more comfortable than ever before. We use local anaesthetic for more complex procedures and always ensure that your mouth is fully numbed before we start. Prevention is always better than cure and we aim to treat problems as soon as they become apparent. This means that they are less complicated to deal with. As a result, your visits to see us should be as straightforward as possible. In general, unless there are severe problems, we would only need to see you once every six months for your regular check-up.

Do get in touch with us to find out how we can support you to resolve your anxieties and access the care you need.

Nervous patients treatment in Sutton

Dental phobia or dental anxiety is a very common condition preventing many people from receiving proper dental care and should not be overlooked. This fear can easily lead to poor oral health, as an anxious patient may do whatever it takes to avoid visiting the dentist. The most common types of dental phobia include fear of pain, fear of the dental drill, fear of the dentist, and last but not least fear of needles.

Nervous Dental Patients in SuttonAt Benhill Dental Practice in Sutton, we appreciate that dental phobia is a condition unique to each patient but one we can help you overcome. Most patients are reluctant to visit the dentist because of traumatic, past experiences, which may have involved significant pain. Moreover, nervous patients tend to dislike the idea of losing control to the dentist. Dental anxieties and fears may be general or specific and become progressively harder to overcome as time passes.

This way, a negative circle grows where care is postponed and problems ignored until patients are in need of emergency care due to severe dental problems. Emergency appointments are inevitably more stressful for nervous patients and much more difficult to manage. However, a supportive attitude from your dentist can make a huge impact on your dental care and lifestyle.

Caring for nervous patients

Our practice supports nervous patients without the use of dental sedation. When you visit us, rest assured that your teeth will not be the worst we have seen, and no matter how awkward things seem, we are going to help you and not judge you. We are all about practising gentle dentistry and taking the time to talk to patients so that they feel in control at all times of the treatment. For us, it is really important to provide reassurance, as this will help you overcome your anxiety. Our gentle, caring and professional approach to pain-free dentistry can be testified by many happy patients.

Modern dentistry has come a long way and nowadays most treatments are practically pain-free. Our aim is to prevent any serious problems from happening, but if you experience pain or other symptoms, we will get you out of pain and treat your problem thoroughly to restore your oral health.

Taking good care of your teeth and visiting your dentist regularly will eliminate the need for more complex dental treatment in the future.

Dental Phobia

Did you know that fear of the dentist is the primary reason UK adults give for failing to attend regular dental appointments – far more than worries about costs or lack of time? Fear of the dentist is a common issue and can range from mild anxiety to full-blown phobia.

dental phobiaAt Benhill Dental Practice in Sutton we empathise with patients who suffer from dental phobia, but do not believe it should be a barrier to getting the treatment you need or the smile you deserve. Our skilled and experienced dental team have worked with many anxious and phobic patients to help them conquer their fear once and for all.

We don’t believe in using sedation during treatment, but instead take the time to talk to our patients and find out the cause of their fear. We are proud to practice gentle dentistry.

Thanks to advances in techniques and equipment, many dental treatments are now pain-free. For more complex procedures we use local anaesthetic to ensure that you will experience no discomfort.

One of the main factors of dental anxiety is a fear of being out of control. We will take the time to ensure you feel in control at all stages of treatment, and will provide you with hand signals so that you can indicate if you need to take a short break at any time. Don’t think this will upset the dentist or affect their schedule; we always ensure that adequate time is built into every appointment for breaks, because we know that everyone needs to take a breather now and again.

Many patients who have not seen a dentist in some years because of dental phobia also fear being judged because their teeth are in poor condition. You can rest assured that at Benhill Dental Practice we will never be judgemental; the whole team is sympathetic to patients’ concerns, and all we want is to help you get back into full oral health, then to maintain it for life.