Do You Feel Anxious About Your Dental Appointment? We’re Here To Change that.
Dental Anxiety or Dentophobia is one of the most common fears amongst people of all ages. According to a study conducted by Oral-B as published by the Sydney Morning Herald, 83 % of Australians admit to having some level of dental fear and anxiety when visiting the dentist. Out of 1,004 Australians aged 18-64 interviewed, half would rather be publicly humiliated than visit the dentist.
As dental professionals, we understand this. Going to the dentist can be a concern for many, but it doesn’t have to be that way. We see this challenge as an opportunity, not a threat. We’re here to mitigate your dental anxiety.
What Are The Common Causes Of Fear Of The Dentist?
Fear of the dentist is not an irrational one. It is one born out of various deep-rooted fears associated with dental visits. Three fundamental fears contribute to dentophobia.
Fear Of Losing All Control
Fear Of Being Embarrassed
Fear Of Pain
Our Promise To You
At Dental Boutique, we like making and keeping promises to our patients. And here is our promise to you if you are one of the many anxious patients in this world.
We promise to be non-judgmental at all times. Our space is a safe space for you to be yourself and we will appreciate you no matter what.
We promise to find the least painful alternative at all times. While we cannot guarantee that all procedures will be discomfort-free, we invest heavily in technology that highly minimises the pain that our patients experience.
We promise to always give you agency. You have control of every outcome and a say in every situation that occurs within our walls.
Why It’s Time To Visit The Dentist
Many people wouldn’t ever be caught visiting the dentist. But paying a visit to a dental clinic can prove wonders for you. Based on the feedback we get from our patients, we’ve never had anyone walk out of our doors with remorse.
If you’re suffering from problems with your teeth, chances are you have a hard time smiling because you don’t feel good about yourself. Maybe you’re in even more pain than you realise. Visiting the dentist is not just about having nice teeth. It’s more than that. Here are a few reasons why you should see the dentist.
For Your Health And Wellbeing
Oral health is the gateway to overall health. Have you ever noticed how people miss work or school just because of a toothache? That’s because when your teeth or mouth is in pain, your whole body feels it.
Your mouth is also one of the most sensitive areas of your whole body. An infection caused by tooth decay or gum infection can cause more damage to you as a whole than you think. Having healthy teeth and gums is key to being healthy as a whole.
To Boost Your Self-Esteem
We’ve had multiple patients who make it a habit to hide their smiles. They would laugh while covering their mouths with their hands or smile with their lips closed for photos. All this because they weren’t confident with their teeth.
At Dental Boutique, we’re all about restoring people’s reason to smile and giving them their confidence back. Visiting a dentist could be your one step to building the confidence you need to start dating, go to that job interview or be more active in your community. It all starts with bringing your smile to the next level.
To Change Your Life
Our genuine belief is that as dental practitioners, we’re in the business of changing people’s lives. We’ve seen it happen multiple times with our previous clients. By visiting your dentist, you could be unlocking a better you and therefore have a better life.
Still Anxious? It Doesn’t Have To Be This Way
Fearing the dentist is highly common, but it doesn’t have to be this way. Our promise to you is that your visit to Dental Boutique will break all scary stereotypes of going to the dentist. We make a point to make our space a safe and secure one. We hold no judgments towards any of our patients and always treat everyone with special care and attention.
How We Handle Anxious Patients
We deal with patients suffering from dental anxiety with the highest level of positive regard, patience and compassion. Here’s how we use dental anxiety and pain control methods during dental treatment:
- We give patients enough time to express their concerns, worries, needs and desires and never, never, never judge them.
- We explain all risks and benefits of all treatment options our patients have so there are no surprises during treatment.
- We give our patients the option for sedation and offer various customised sedation procedures which fit the patient’s anxiety level to reduce stress and pain.
- We establish a fail-safe signal system with our patients. One common signal we use is a hand raise at the signal of pain. This helps patients maintain control during treatment and alerts us if they feel pain or discomfort.
- We establish a mutual agreement with our patients regarding taking breaks at fixed intervals. This method alleviates the fear of interrupting the dentist or the worry that a patient may be disturbing them at an inconvenient moment. We never rush through an appointment. Each one is given as much time and care as is needed.
Our Treatments For Anxious Patients
We provide our patients with options to achieve an anxiety-free journey.
Dental anxiety and pain control methods used during dental treatment:
Gas Inhalation
Many patients want to wish to understand how to overcome their fear of dental injections. Inhaling Penthrox will alleviate the initial anxiety associated with needles that patients may have before treatment. The pain of needles is removed as patients don’t feel a thing, but this option still enables the patient to remain awake during treatment.
Medication
Anxiety tablets help to remove the patient’s dental anxiety before treatment. These tablets help patients achieve and experience stress-free treatment.
Sleep Dentistry (IV Sedation And General Anaesthetic)
Provided by a highly-qualified anaesthetist at the practice, patients can relax and feel at ease during treatment as they don’t remember or feel any of the treatment being carried out.
These sedation options are great alternatives not just for people with dental fear and anxiety but also those with:
- A fear of needles
- A strong gag reflex
- A low pain threshold
- A past traumatic dental experience
- Multiple dental treatments requiring long treatment time
- A dislike of noises, smells and taste during dental procedures
Please note sleep dentistry is not offered at all of our clinics. When enquiring please feel free to ask if your closest clinic does offer this service.