Nervous Patient Care

Nervous patients find it hard to go for even the simplest or most basic of dental treatments; oftentimes, those who feel anxious about going to the dentist may even find it difficult to go for a routine dental checkup, because of the notion that discomfort and pain will result from the experience.

The goal of nervous patient care by a Kent dentist is to provide patients with a worry-free experience along with the necessary dental treatment.

What Causes Patients to be Nervous?

There are various reasons why patients become nervous, or become fearful of dentists and dental treatments. These are just some of the most common reasons why people develop a dental phobia, or fear of dentists:

Previous Uncomfortable Experiences with a Dentist – A person who previously had an uncomfortable experience in the hands of a dentist may easily assume that every dental visit will result to another bad experience. The pain and discomfort that the patient has been through in an earlier dental visit (or dental treatment) can be perceived as the norm when it comes to all things connected to dentistry; this notion of pain or discomfort can easily develop into a full-blown dental phobia.

Indifferent or Uncaring Dentists – An experience with an uncaring or indifferent dentist can make a patient assume that the same treatment will be provided by other dentists. The lack of concern that a patient experiences with a dentist can cause discomfort or even embarrassment – emotions that every individual will do anything to avoid in the future, if possible. A nervous patient may then be wary of going to other dentists in the future for dental treatments, because the same discomfort or embarrassment may be the result.

Other People’s Experiences – Hearing about a friend’s excruciating dental procedure can make a person imagine more uncomfortable scenarios when it comes to all dental treatments. Nervous patients may become even more fearful when faced with a vivid image of how uncomfortable certain dental treatments can be.

Nervous Patient Concerns

Fear of the Dentist – Previous unpleasant experiences with dentists can cause dental phobia in patients – even if they are going to a different Kent dentist for the dental treatment, and even if the dental treatment itself is not associated with something uncomfortable.

Fear of the Dental Drill – The sound of the dental drill can increase the anxiety of nervous patients; the whine of the drill can easily be associated with a painful dental treatment experience.

Fear of Pain and Woodbury Dental – Fear of pain can stem from a previous experience with a dental treatment that caused a great deal of discomfort for the nervous patient. It will be easy to imagine that all future dental treatments can also cause the same (or worse) amount of pain.

Fear of Additional Dental Treatments – Nervous patients may sometimes avoid going to the dentist because they think that more dental treatments will follow – and more uncomfortable episodes will have to be endured.

Conscious Sedation for Nervous Patients

Conscious sedation or IV sedation by the dentist at Woodbury Dental and Laser Clinic in Kent can bring nervous patients to a relaxed and calm state of mind, in preparation for the necessary dental treatment. Under conscious sedation, the patient will feel comfortable and worry-free before and throughout the duration of the dental treatment. A previously nervous patient can have the necessary dental treatment without having to force him or herself to go through the procedure in a fearful manner.

Under conscious sedation, a patient will be in a very calm and relaxed state – but will still be conscious throughout the duration of the procedure; this enables the dentist at Woodbury Dental and Laser Clinic in Kent to communicate easily with the patient, who in turn can readily follow the requests or instructions of the dentist. A nervous patient will not remember any uncomfortable or unpleasant parts of the procedure, and will only remember a sense of well-being about the entire dental treatment.

Conscious Sedation Benefits

• The nervous patient will be in a calm and relaxed state, and will not remember any unpleasant or uncomfortable portions of the dental treatment. The patient will be in a relaxed state throughout the duration of the dental treatment.
• The patient will be able to communicate freely with the Kent dentist throughout the duration of the dental treatment under conscious sedation, so it is easy to follow requests or instructions from the dentist.
• Problems with gag reflex will be greatly reduced or eliminated throughout the dental procedure, allowing the dentist from Kent to perform the dental treatment successfully and efficiently without having to put the nervous patient through an uncomfortable experience.
  

  Dr Jaimini Vadgama is Dental Phobia Certified Dentist in Kent