Anxious about seeing the dentist?
As many as one in seven Australian adults have dental anxiety, preventing them from seeking out necessary and preventative treatment – this often spirals into a vicious cycle of dental issues and other health problems. At Limitless Dental, we know that seeing the dentist isn’t everyone’s cup of tea (don’t worry, we don’t take it personally!). If you’ve got a dental phobia, let us know specifically what makes you nervous and we’ll change up our approach to suit – whether that be soft lights, music of your choice, local anesthesia or even sedation so you can literally sleep through your treatment. Give us a call on 9569 8091 and we’ll do what we can to help manage your dental anxiety.
What are the most common fears of visiting a dentist?
- Pain
You might avoid seeing the dentist because you may have had a traumatic, painful dental experience in the past or you’ve heard all of the horror stories from those around you. Dental procedures continue to advance in terms of managing pain and our team is trained to ensure your treatment is as pain-free and stress-free as possible.
- Embarrassment
Feeling self-conscious about your mouth, smile, teeth, breath, especially if you haven’t seen a dentist in a while? We totally get it, there are some days we feel that about ourselves, but there’s nothing to be embarrassed about. Our team has collectively peered into thousands of open mouths before and their goal is to treat and maintain your dental health, not judge it.
- Needles
Similar to the fear of pain, you might have skipped a dental treatment because you know needles are involved. Injections are sometimes necessary depending on the treatment you need e.g. to numb your gums. By letting us know that you’re not a fan of needles before your visit, we’re able to then apply topical creams and other techniques prior to injections.
- Loss of control
Many people have also mentioned a sense of losing control when you’re sitting in a dental chair, with close proximity to the dentist and inability to see what’s going on. Our dentists regularly check in during treatment to see if you would like to take a break, or give you a signal to indicate to them to pause. Depending on what you prefer, our team can also narrate what’s happening and what to expect next.
- Breathing troubles
You might have had issues breathing in the chair during previous treatment that has prevented you from coming back to see the dentist. Breathing troubles could stem from a blocked nose, anxiety or even a strong gag reflex. We have different methods to help you breathe comfortably through your nose while we carry out treatment, including giving you regular breaks upright.
What can the Limitless Dental team do to help you with your dental anxiety?
Your mouth is a gateway to the rest of your body – seeing the dentist regularly will help you keep on top of any dental issues that you might not see or feel, before it affects another part of your body. At Limitless Dental, we haven’t met an anxious patient that we haven’t been able to help treat.
We employ various methods to help you cope with your dental fears, including:
- Applying topical numbing creams prior to injecting local anesthesia
- Playing your preferred Spotify playlists
- Offering stress balls to squeeze or ear plugs to wear during treatment
- Giving you nitrous oxide (think happy gas) to help you relax
- Providing sedative medication (oral or intravenous) so you can sleep through treatment
Don’t let your anxiety hold you back from getting your dental health checked and treated. The Limitless Dental team is here to help – give us a call on 9569 8091!
