It is rarely a fun time when you receive a text message reminding you that your biannual Dental check-up is due, especially if you are a nervous or phobic patient.

Unfortunately, across the globe, many patients who are scared of attending dental check-ups have been found to have had a traumatic experience with a dental practitioner in their childhood, which often means poorer oral health throughout their adult life. As prevention is the cornerstone of maintaining high levels of dental hygiene, consistent absences from dental surgeries mean many Nervous Patients will experience dental pain or other preventable issues.

Luckily, there is a way you can keep your oral health in check without having heart palpitations. Many dental teams, including our team at Harley Street Dental, are trained to help the more nervous patients whom we see on a daily basis, meaning we take the fear out of dentistry.

When you are a nervous patient who visits our dentist in Harley Street, you will be treated with compassion, respect and the highest level of care. We will allow you to set the pace of treatment, provided it is not an emergency and will help you to regain your confidence by getting rid of any pain and helping you get your oral health back on track. Perfect!

How has our dentist in Harley Street helped so many formerly nervous patients turn their phobias around? Read on and find out!

Conversation

One of the primary reasons nervous patients do not attend dental check-ups is due to fear of judgement. Or, they have concerns about not being listened to.

Our dentist in Harley Street Dental will be happy to talk through any fears you may have and will be able to create a communication system with you, so when they are working on your teeth, you will be able to signal if you need a break.

If you want to know each stage of treatment, or don’t, we can customise our response to make you feel more comfortable. Brilliant!

Diversion

Does music calm you down?

Bring in your phone or another musical device so that you can listen to an audiobook or some music that you like while we go through the procedure! As music has been found to release feel-good chemicals in the brain, this will help you to build a positive association with dental check-ups and feeling positive.

Sedatives

Need something a bit stronger?

Nitrous oxide (also known as laughing gas) can be offered to you by our team or if necessary we also have intravenous (IV) sedation to help you relax while you are in our care. If you need IV sedation, we must insist that you have an age-appropriate family member or friend to escort you home afterwards and you must not operate heavy machinery for 24 hours post sedation.

Anesthesia

We are also able to arrange for you to have full anaesthesia when you come to us for treatment, so you will be completely unconscious. Once again, for your safety, you must bring a familiar age-appropriate person along to take you home once the treatment is completed.