August 6th, 2010
There are many common phobias that people share but perhaps the most common is the fear of visiting the dentist. There are many reasons why people are afraid of the dentist, ranging from traumatic childhood experiences to fear of the dentist’s drill but what is certain is that these fears need to be overcome in order to receive the necessary dental treatment. The alternative is a lifetime of painful and costly dental problems that will be far worse than anything that could ever happen to you during a check up or simple treatment procedure.
Letting the problem worsen and avoiding the dentist is always a bad idea as dental problems will not treat themselves or cure on their own. But they can be easily prevented with simple measures that involve little discomfort. Modern dentistry is far removed from the dentistry of the past where perhaps the dentists were more concerned with teeth than the patient. Modern Central London dentists are trained in a ore holistic approach that involves caring fro the patient as well as their teeth. Modern treatment methods are also very different with the emphasis often being on comfort. Tools such as dental lasers have made treatments more efficient, more comfortable and reduced recovery times and technological developments such as Cerec have reduced treatment times themselves significantly.
There are also several methods of overcoming your fears using relaxation techniques such as breathing exercises and simply talking through your fears with a dentist can often help to prepare you for an appointment and alleviate your fears. It has also been proven that aromatherapy, especially lavender oil can help to relax patients. Whatever the extent of your fear, it is always worth exploring avenues to enable you to get the treatment your teeth need.
June 16th, 2010
One of the most common problems dentists experience every day is nervous patients in their chair. This can be a problem because anxious patients are not easy to perform complex and often very intricate procedures upon. After all, when you are operating with potentially dangerous tools, the last thing you need is a patient moving around and making sudden jolts. However, most dentists do understand that visiting the dentist is a very difficult experience for some people.
This is why modern dentist training involves a lot of work on how to relax patients and empathise with how they might be feeling. Whereas in the past, dentists were perhaps more concerned with the treatment than with the patients themselves, an attitude shift has seen a move towards a more caring and understanding approach that treats the patient not just the dental concern.
In a recent study, 9 out of 10 Brits admitted to having some kind of fear of the dentist. In most cases this is simply a mild anxiety that is easily overcome but some patients suffer from a much more severe phobia. This can be helped often by just talking to a dentist before your appointment to gain a better understanding of what is likely to happen during treatment. Other methods of relaxing patients include using breathing techniques and aromatherapy before treatment in an effort to calm the patient down. This has proved to be very successful at Central London dentists and has allowed countless patients to receive the necessary dental treatment they required.
May 9th, 2010
Fear can be a very powerful thing. It can make us avoid situations, cause panic and nausea and in some cases cause a complete paralysis. Anyone who has experienced severe fear, or phobia, will tell you how distressing it can be and how much you try to avoid any situation that could cause an adverse reaction. In many cases of phobia, the object in question is easily avoided. Spiders for example do not play a large part on most of our lives on a day to day basis but your teeth certainly do. Looking after your teeth is important and will hopefully help you avoid any nasty dental complications. But what if you are afraid of the dentist to the point you can’t ever bring yourself to visit for a check up or even more importantly, for treatment?
Dental phobia is a very real and damaging fear that prevents many thousands of people in the UK receiving the treatment they need to keep their teeth healthy. But there are ways to successfully overcome dental phobia without resorting to extreme measures. Many dental phobias are caused by past traumatic experiences. In many cases this occurred when the patient was child. It is important to realise that dentistry in the modern world is very different to how it was forty, thirty of even twenty years ago. Modern dentists are more attuned to the fear of many patients. They are specially trained to help patients overcome anxiety and will employ certain methods to help you obtain the treatment you need.
One of the simplest ways to overcome dental phobia is simply to talk to a dentist. This will often help to alleviate certain fears caused by not knowing what treatment involves. Other successful methods include teaching self-relaxation methods such as breathing exercises and also using calming aromatherapy. Ask your City of London dentist about how you can overcome your fears.
January 25th, 2010
Dental phobias may be inherited from our parents says a West London dentist. For hundreds of years no pain relief was available to the patient of a dentist, and it may well be that this inherent fear gets passed down. The phobia is less apparent these days, and that could be down to a generation of people who have experienced the advances in dental care. There is a difference between an anxiety, a fear and a phobia, the basic difference is that an anxiety is a fear of the unknown, a fear is a feeling of vulnerability that affects people in many situations and the dentist is one such example. A phobia is quite different from the other two in that it is a fear of a known situation, the generation that grew up after the founding of the Health Service in the 1950s experienced a state granted dental service that wasn’t customer friendly. Dentistry has always been a professional on the peripheral of the medical professional, and as such it hasn’t had the research or scientific advances that the general medical professional has enjoyed. Thankfully today the old image of the dentist with the blood splattered apron and the evil smile is a thing of the past. In the 1950s, 60s and 70s school dentists sent us to sleep using gas, nick named `Laughing Gas` it certainly didn’t live up to its name. It sent the patient to sleep with a metal plug keeping the mouth open, when the patient woke up the pain was immediate and often severe. Thankfully today we get a gel on the gums so we don’t even feel the needle, then after the treatment the pain is still numbed for many hours, by the time the numbness is gone a few tablets will generally ease us through the full recovery. Dental phobia is slowly being eased from our genes, and it’s not a day too soon.
January 2nd, 2010
If you have a fear of the dentist or suffer from anxiety before a check up, it is important to know that you are not alone. Dental anxiety is one of the most common in the UK with over 90 per cent of us admitting some form of fear of the dentist. Of course, this fear is much greater for some than for others but in all cases there are techniques and options available to help you keep calm.
First of all, it is important to talk through your anxieties with your dentist. You can rest assured that you wont be the first nervous patient they have seen and they will be trained to help you relax and talk you through exactly what might happen during your appointment. Removing the element of the unexpected and knowing what to expect can be very useful to help you assuage your anxieties.
Dental fear and anxiety can come from a variety of sources but the same few crop up time and again. Past traumatic experiences are very common causes of anxiety, as is a feeling of lack of control, so it is often worth talking these through before your appointment.
Dentists in Central London also offer relaxation techniques such as breathing exercises and self-hypnosis to help patients conquer their fears. It has also recently been found that aromatherapy, particularly lavender oil, is very good at relaxing people before appointments. Whatever the reason or level of anxiety, there is a way to overcome it and receive the dental treatment that you require.
November 18th, 2009
Fear of the dentist is one of the most common fears we have. In the UK a recent study found that over 90 per cent of people admitted to having a fear of the dentist. For most people this fear is easily controllable and they are able to weigh up the need for dental treatment against their fears. For other the fear is more severe and can range form anxiety to a full-blown phobia. This can be very upsetting and the cause of many emotional problems, not to mental dental ones.
Nervous patients are a big problem in the field of dentistry. It can be a very distressing experience for some patients to be in the dentist’s chair and no matter how experienced, this can affect the ability of the dentist to do their job. It is very important that the patient is calm before they begin their appointment.
This can be achieved in a number of ways. Very often just talking to a dentist can help to allay any fears. Dentists are trained to help calm nervous or anxious patients and can run through exactly what is likely to happen during the check up. This is often enough to remove the fear of the unexpected procedures or lack of control that is so fundamental to many patient’s anxieties.
Other techniques to help patient’s stay calm include self-hypnosis and aromatherapy. Self-hypnosis is a series of simple breathing exercises aimed at regulating the heart rate and inducing a mild trance-like state. This can help patients to make it through appointments in a relaxed fashion. Other recent studies have shown that lavender oil before an appointment can help to calm nerves.
Whatever the nature of your anxiety, it is always very important to receive the dental treatment you require to keep your teeth healthy. City of London dentists are trained to help nervous patients so make an appointment to see how they could help you stay calm and in control.
October 23rd, 2009
Fear of the dentist is one of our most common fears. According to a recent study, it is a fear shared by more than 90 per cent of us. For most of that 90 per cent it is a fear that can be overcome by the knowledge that visiting a dentist is crucial for the maintenance of good oral health, and that by missing appointments it will only lead to future dental problems and further dental appointments. This kind of fear is known as dental anxiety and is usually fairly easily overcome. For some patients however, their fear is much greater to the extent that they are willing to sacrifice their dental health for the sake of fear. This more irrational fear of the dentist is commonly known as dental phobia. Patients who suffer from dental phobia frequently suffer from dental problems such as tooth decay, which will eventually require them to visit the dentist.
People’s fear of the dentist is usually sparked by one of several factors. An unpleasant childhood experience of the dentist can lead to a lifetime of fear. Others are embarrassed by the state of their teeth. Some patients simply describe a feeling of lack of control or vulnerability when in the dentist’s chair. Whatever the cause for the phobia, running away from your fears is never the answer and in most cases only succeeds in further compounding the problem.
Dental phobias are very real to the sufferers but they are not insurmountable. Very often just talking through your fears with the dentist will be enough reassurance. After all, you are unlikely to be their first nervous patient. They will also have been specially trained to deal with nervous patients. Other techniques to help you relax include breathing exercises or self-hypnosis. Patients who can maintain a level of trance like calm can often visit the dentist with little or no anxiety. The use of lavender oil can also help to calm the patient’s nerves before an appointment.
It is also worthwhile remembering that dentistry has made large strides in the last twenty years. Today’s dental practices resemble health spas more than hospitals. Most procedures can now be carried out with the minimum of discomfort and pain caused to the patient and can now be carried out in a fraction of the time it used to take, reducing the time you will need to spend in the chair.
If you suffer from dental anxiety or dental phobia, talk to your London W1 dentist before your appointment. They will be able to reassure you and offer advice on how to stay calm and relaxed throughout the appointment.
May 24th, 2009
Even though most dental procedures are painless while they are being carried out, nervous patients will still feel an enormous amount of stress. For example, the sound of dental drills often makes people upset, even though they will not feel anything while the dentist is working. Fortunately, your West London dentist has a number of medications and therapies available to help calm your nerves and make your dental visits as pleasant as possible.
Today, many nervous patients make use of sedatives, anaesthesia, and nitrous oxide to help reduce the stress associated with oral surgeries, extractions, and fillings. That said, before you can have these medications, you will need to let your dentist know about any medications that you are already taking. You will also need to provide a list of all medical conditions. As may be expected, you will not want your dentist to give you any medications that might interfere with your current medications, or make a current health condition worse.
Some people also respond to special colours, music, and other environmental cues. If you notice that these kinds of things are of help to you, it may be possible for you to have treatment in a room that is optimised for stress reduction. Depending on the dentist, you may also be able to bring along music that will be of use t o you. You may even be able to wear ear buds, or listen to your mp3 player while the dental procedure is being carried out.
Regardless of how nervous you are about seeing the dentist, certain procedures are vital for your long term oral and physical health. There is no question that a few minutes of time spent with your dentist may help prevent the chance of developing heart disease, as well as several other catastrophic illnesses. With so many other options available, you should not let being a nervous patient interfere with your long term wellness.
December 5th, 2008
Many people experience dental phobia, with the incidence being higher in male patients than female patients. Many of these individuals do not visit the dentist for regular checkups, and may only visit the dentist when they experience severe dental pain. Sometimes, they never visit the dentist. If they do visit a dental clinic, they may also create a stressful environment in the dental office. Your London W1 Dental Clinic team can help you to overcome your dental phobias and make your dental visit(s) as comfortable as possible. There are numerous advanced dental equipment and procedures that the dental phobic doesn’t even know about because they have stayed away from the dentist for so long. Dental clinics today do not smell like the dental clinics of old. Some people associate the smell with pain. In fact, there are different aromas that the newer clinics may have to relax you while you wait to see the dentist. Also, our dentists and dental staff will not criticize you if you haven’t taken care of your teeth over the years. Beginning late is better than never seeking dental care! Most patients are fearful of the noises, sharp instruments and choking. Your London W1 dentist has many distraction techniques, such as music, special glasses, etc., to help you to relax.
Tell the dentist and dental staff about your dental phobia; don’t let it stew inside of you. London W1 dentists and staff understand your situation. Besides the above distraction techniques, your London W1 dentist can apply nitrous oxide sedation, as well as oral sedation techniques. Depending on your levels of dental fear, the dentist can use various levels of sedation to help make your dental visit as comfortable as possible.
October 5th, 2008
Fear of the dentist is a very common problem, and is higher in male than in female patients. These patients usually do not seek regular dental checkups, and arrive at the dentist’s office when it is usually too late to save the tooth. They allow their dental health to suffer, and require procedures to eliminate severe pain and/or infections, which in turn, makes their visits to the dentist more stressful for both these patients and their dentist. It is important to visit your West London dentist regularly, to prevent dental problems that can be very painful, or result in loss from either an infected tooth/teeth (i.e., dental abscess) and/or surrounding tissue structures (i.e., gingivitis or periodontitis).
There are numerous modern dental technologies that can help you to be more relaxed and to overcome the fears and anxieties of visiting the dentist in West London. With many patients, there is possibly something that occurred at the dental office when they were children that made them fearful of the dentist. It could be the smell of the clinic or the dentist, and the chemicals that are being used. You have a lot of company, as the majority of patients fear the dentist and/or the procedures! Besides these previous negative dental experiences and smells, embarrassment about their mouth condition, the noise of the drill, poking with the explorer and other instruments, and worrying about being gagged, have all been causes for concern in anxious patients.
Some things that may help you cope with your fears and anxieties are: being honest and up front with your dentist; tell the dentist you are scared. There are different things that can be done at your West London’s dentist’s office to help you. Your dentist can explain the procedure to you, and let you know how long it will take. That way you know what you are facing. Find a sympathetic dentist and staff! Let your dentist know about your previous dental experiences that may have contributed to you being frightened and anxious. Your West London dentist have several distraction and relaxation techniques that they can use to help comfort you, or they can use pain free injection techniques, combined with special glasses and music so that you will not hear all of the noises associated with the dental procedure. Other aids are sedation and pre-medication. Don’t avoid the dentist, but instead communicate with them to see if they are the right dentist for you and your needs.
