What is dental anxiety
Feeling Nervous About Dental Visits? It’s common to feel anxious about dental appointments. In fact, around 36% of people experience dental anxiety, with 12% suffering from extreme dental fear. This often leads to avoiding dental visits, negatively impacting oral health. At Galway Dentists our team are experienced in making dental visits comfortable for anxious patients.
Understanding Dental Anxiety Dental anxiety stems from negative emotions like fear, stress, or anxiety associated with dental settings, often leading to avoiding appointments. Common triggers include the sound of drills and the sight of needles. When this fear becomes extreme, it can turn into a dental phobia, causing patients to completely skip dental treatments.
What are the signs of dental anxiety?
Look out for these indicators:
- Possible fainting
- Racing heartbeat or palpitations
- Sweating
- Low blood pressure
- Using humour or aggression to mask anxiety
- Signs of panic, such as crying
How we can help
How Galway Dentists Can Help: Neglecting dental care due to nervousness can worsen oral health issues. We’re here to help you overcome your fears with:
- Patient-Friendly Equipment: For children and those afraid of dental sounds, we use quieter, less intimidating tools and lasers as an alternative to drills.
- Topical Anaesthetics: To ease fears of injections, we use creams or gels before administering injections, making the process more comfortable.
- Dental Sedation: Options like nitrous oxide (laughing gas), IV, oral, general anaesthesia, and deep sedation are available to help patients relax during treatments.
For Nervous Patients: Preparing For A Dental Visit
- Schedule an Appointment: Our experience with anxious patients ensures we understand and cater to your needs.
- Familiarise Yourself: Visit our clinic beforehand to get comfortable with the environment.
- Support System: Bring someone along for comfort and reassurance.
Coping Strategies
- Practice deep breathing and visualise calming scenes.
- Use an eye mask and headphones to block out anxiety-inducing sights and sounds.
- Engage in positive self-talk and focus on positive thoughts.
- Distract yourself with puzzles, magazines, or books.
- Communicate with us about needing breaks during treatment.
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I visited Dentist Michael Donnelly this week. As I am someone who is nervous about visiting the dentist I was not looking forward to seeing Michael at all , but to my surprise he was extremely helpful and made the experience easy and painless. Michael and his dental nurse were very polite and I am looking forward to my next dental visit.
Sean Moran
January 19, 2018 -
Excellent and very professional dental care. Dentist put me at ease and talked me through the procedure. Would definitely recommend to others.
Ciara Mc Bride
January 19, 2016 -
I had a few appointments with Dr Michael Donnelly and would highly recommend! Very friendly and puts you at ease!
Lauren O'Keeffe
January 19, 2017 -
I visited Michael Donnelly here at this practice. I found he put me right at ease, as I was worried about going to the Dentist. I had not attended a Dentist in over a year. He went through the procedure very thoroughly and any questions I had throughout his explanation, he was happy to answer. Would highly recommend a visit to him.
Claire Cunningham
January 19, 2017
Open Hours
- Mon-Fri: 8:30 AM – 5 PM
- Saturday: Closed
- Sunday: Closed
Alternative Treatment Options
Book a consultation today with one of our team, who will be happy to discuss these options with you in-depth
For Nervous Patients
By communicating your needs, fears, and anxieties with us, you can overcome those negative emotions and have a rewarding and positive dental visit experience. At Galway Dentists, we’re with you in taking care of your oral health and helping you deal with dental anxiety.
We are your experienced dentists in handling nervous patients. Feel free to let us know if you need more time before and during your visit. We’re your friendly dentists that can make your appointment a more comfortable experience. Want to learn more about how we treat nervous patients? You may visit our office at 6 Father Griffin Avenue, Galway, Co. Galway H91 ERP4, call (091) 58 22 22, or email [email protected] to book an appointment today!
