Table of contents
What is Dental Anxiety?
Dental anxiety is a fear of seeing a dentist, and sometimes this fear is so extreme that it prevents people from seeing a dentist when in pain. It’s not unusual for people with dental anxiety to have poor dental health. This situation can impact other areas of their lives, such as self-esteem and self-confidence, as well as personal and professional relationships.
People with less extreme dental fear can still suffer from anxiety when seeing a dentist, but will likely still visit for treatment.
A Common Problem – You are Not Alone
Dental anxiety is a widespread psychological barrier that prevents millions of people from seeking essential oral healthcare. Clinical studies indicate that nearly a third of the population experiences some degree of apprehension regarding dental visits, with a significant percentage suffering from severe phobias that lead to total avoidance of care.
Acknowledging this fear is the first step toward overcoming it, and our team is fully prepared to help you navigate it without judgment.
What Types of Situations Can Promote Dental Anxiety?
There are several reasons why someone may feel anxious about dental visits, including the following.
Needles
A fear of needles is not unusual, but it can prevent people from receiving dental injections more comfortably.
The Sights, Sounds, and Smells in the Dental Office
Hearing the sound of a dental drill or even seeing dental equipment can be enough to promote feelings of anxiety and fear in some people. Sometimes, these can be related to a previous bad experience, so seeing or hearing something can trigger unwanted memories and negative feelings.
A Lower Pain Threshold
Usually, people don’t fear getting an anesthetic, but instead fear that it will not work properly, especially if they have a lower pain threshold. Others fear the temporary side effects of anesthetics, such as a numb mouth.
A Strong Gag Reflex
Some people have a strong gag reflex, which makes receiving dental care uncomfortable at best. They may also fear being unable to breathe or swallow while their mouth is numb.
Blood
It’s not unusual to have a fear of blood and to feel panicked about the source of even minor bleeding during the procedure.
What Can Cause Dental Anxiety and Fear?
There are several possible causes for dental anxiety and fear.
Family History
A fear of dental treatment can run in families, so if you have parents or siblings who fear or avoid seeing the dentist, you may develop this feeling too.
Embarrassment
Some people feel embarrassed about visiting a dentist if they haven’t been able to do so for years. They may worry about bad breath or the appearance of their teeth and feel concerned that they will be charged.
Loss of Control
This is a fairly common feeling, as often you need to keep your mouth open for quite a while during dental treatment and may feel unable to move.
Previous Experience in the Dental Chair
If you had a traumatic experience in the dental chair as a child, it can influence your feelings toward professional preventive dentistry as an adult. These feelings can arise if the first time you saw a dentist was when you were already experiencing pain or discomfort, even though treatment will have alleviated these sensations and restored your dental health.
Signs That You May Have Dental Anxiety
The thought of visiting the dentist can promote an emotional and physical response, which may include:
- Sweaty palms and a faster heartbeat.
- Trouble sleeping the night before a dental visit.
- Feeling nervous or physically shaky in the dental chair.
- Avoiding dental treatment until you cannot stand the pain.
- Avoiding dental care altogether.
If any of the symptoms sound familiar, you are not alone, and we can help you.
Why Overcoming Dental Anxiety Is Important
Your dental health is closely connected to your overall health, so conquering your dental anxiety can help protect your general well-being. Over time, this will help to reduce dental and medical bills. Regular dental checkups allow us to treat issues more quickly, when they are smaller, less likely to cause discomfort, and they will be cheaper to correct.
Our Approach to Anxiety-Free Dentistry
Our dental team is all hand-selected for their empathetic and compassionate approach to dentistry. We take a patient-centred approach, always putting you first, and we never judge. We are pleased that you have taken the first step toward achieving better dental health, and we want to do everything possible to help you achieve this goal.
Designed for Your Comfort
Our practice environment is intentionally structured to neutralize the typical triggers of clinical stress. By integrating advanced, low-decibel equipment, we significantly reduce the piercing sounds traditionally associated with dental work.
Every detail of our clinical space, from the soothing ambient temperature to the ergonomic treatment chairs, is curated to lower your autonomic nervous system’s fight-or-flight response, allowing you to remain physically relaxed throughout your appointment.
Excellent Patient Communication
Uncertainty is often the root cause of dental apprehension, which is why we prioritize absolute transparency in our clinical dialogue. Before initiating any phase of your treatment, we provide a detailed overview of the upcoming steps, including the specific physical sensations and sounds you can expect to experience.
We allocate dedicated time for you to process this information and ask questions, ensuring that no clinical action is taken until you feel completely informed and mentally prepared.
You Are Always in Control
We firmly reject the traditional, rigid dynamic of dental treatment by placing the autonomy completely in your hands. At the start of your procedure, we establish a simple, non-verbal signal, such as raising your hand, that acts as an immediate pause button. The moment you signal a need for a break, our team stops all clinical activity instantly, giving you the time and space to reset before choosing to proceed.
Pain-Free Dentistry
We know that being pain-free during your appointment is important. We employ specialized techniques to ensure injections are as comfortable as possible. We can use a numbing gel first or sedation dentistry to make the procedure pain-free.
Our modern equipment also ensures a more comfortable experience, for example, if you have a strong gag reflex and need a dental impression. Traditional tray impressions can often be extremely uncomfortable for individuals with a stronger gag reflex; therefore, we use digital dental impressions instead.
These are tray-free, as your mouth is scanned with a tiny handheld camera. Digital impressions are much less invasive, far more accurate, and will not aggravate your gag reflex.
What to Expect during Your Visit Step-By-Step
If you do feel anxious or nervous, please let us know when you schedule your visit. Our dental team warmly welcomes you and looks forward to taking extra care of you.
Step One: Meeting Our Dentist, Initial Discussion, and Tour of the Office
Our dentist will introduce themselves and the rest of our dental team, and they will want to chat with you initially. This is an opportunity to discuss your fears, any potential triggers, and to determine if past experiences have influenced your feelings about dentistry.
We can provide a tour of our dental office and explain more about how we will keep you comfortable and properly cared for throughout your appointment.
Step Two: Gentle Dental Exam
The next stage, if you feel willing, is to have a gentle dental exam, which would be carried out at a pace comfortable for you. We can explain exactly what we will do and why, and of course, you are free to stop the exam at any point.
It’s important to note that a dental exam is painless; no treatment will be provided unless you have a dental emergency, in which case we can provide immediate care to relieve pain and discomfort.
Step Three: Treatment Plan & Discussion
After your dental exam, our dentist can create a custom treatment plan that outlines any necessary dentistry to restore oral health and preventative dentistry recommended to maintain it, such as follow-up exams and hygiene appointments.
We will take the time to discuss this plan in detail, especially if we have recommended any treatments. You will learn why we consider treatment necessary, how it will benefit your oral health, and what to expect during the treatment process.
Step Four: Providing Any Recommended Treatments
Any dental treatment can be given in a way that feels anxiety-free for you, so if you need to go slower, you can take more frequent breaks, and that is absolutely fine. We can work with you to ensure you receive the dental treatment comfortably.
If you need a treatment and feel anxious, please don’t forget we can provide sedation dentistry. This can be a good way to help you relax and feel more comfortable, with sedation tailored to meet your exact needs.
We have an anesthesiologist on our team who can provide customized sedation solutions and will continuously monitor you to ensure your safety and comfort.
Step Five: Aftercare Instructions and Follow-Up Visits
After receiving treatment, we will provide clear, easy-to-follow aftercare instructions and review them with you before you leave to ensure a smooth recovery. Please don’t forget that if you have any questions, we are always more than happy to help, so don’t hesitate to contact us at any time.
We also recommend scheduling your follow-up visits before you leave. Booking them in advance ensures you get a time that fits in with your schedule.
Once people have had a positive experience at our dental office, they generally find that follow-up visits are much easier.
Please don’t forget, we will remember how you feel about dentistry and take the same gentle, compassionate approach. Over time, as we get to know each other, we hope your dental visits become entirely anxiety-free.
Simple Tips for Reducing Dental Anxiety before Your Appointment
If you feel anxious, below are some simple tips to reduce anxiety before your next appointment.
- Bring a relative or trusted friend.
- Schedule your appointment in the morning to avoid worrying about it all day.
- Ensure we know how you feel, and we are excellent and compassionate listeners.
- Listen to calming music or follow a guided meditation before your appointment.
- Practice distraction techniques like listening to music through headphones or using stress balls.
Everyone here is extremely friendly, and we will recognize when someone is feeling a bit anxious or nervous, so you can rest assured that we will take extra steps to help you relax.
It doesn’t matter if you are looking for a different and more sympathetic dentist or haven’t felt able to visit one for years, as we are here to help, providing the kind, compassionate, and non-judgmental dentistry you deserve. Call our office at (212) 518-6096 or schedule an appointment online!
NYC Dentistry Center6 E 45th St #801
New York, NY 10017
(45th St. btw 5th Ave / Madison Ave)
(212) 518-6096