Dental Anxiety Dentists Near Me Kelmscott

Dental anxiety is one of the most common fears, but it doesn’t have to stop you from getting the care you need. Our caring dentists in Kelmscott have several approaches for helping nervous patients to feel calm and relaxed.

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Caring for Dental Anxiety in Kelmscott

Regular dental visits are important for maintaining good oral health and overall health, but we know that many people feel nervous about dental care. Dental anxiety is thought to affect around 1 in 7 adults and 1 in 10 children in Australia, but it can be overcome with understanding and sympathetic care.

If you’re worried about your appointment, our experienced dental anxiety dentists in Kelmscott can discuss different coping strategies and sedation options to help you overcome your fears, so you can stay in control of don’t have to risk your oral health.

To find out more about how we can help, call our friendly team on (08) 9495 7999 or book an online appointment today.

What causes dental anxiety?

Knowing what’s causing your fear of visiting the dentist can help you and your dentist to work together on effective solutions. Dental anxiety can be complex and may have many possible causes, including:

  • History of traumatic dental experiences or those of a loved one
  • Other traumatic experiences not related to dentistry
  • Fear of needles, pain or other aspects of the dental experience
  • History of head or neck trauma
  • General anxiety or other conditions

Finding a dentist you trust to be sympathetic to your feelings is the first step to managing or conquering dental anxiety.

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Why is it important to overcome dental fear?

People who avoid routine dental visits care because of anxiety or fear are more likely to have have poor oral health, which in turn can affect other aspects of health. If you only visit the dentist when you already have a problem, this can make dental anxiety worse in a vicious cycle.

When you keep up with regular check-ups or visit the dentist at the first signs of a problem, treatment is likely to be easier and less expensive than if you wait until you have more severe symptoms or a dental emergency.

Our dental anxiety dentists at Kelmscott Dental are committed to helping patients break the cycle of fear and give their teeth and gums the care they deserve. We use the latest systems and techniques to provide treatments with the highest standard of safety and comfort.

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How can our dentists help?

Letting our team know that you have dental anxiety when you book your appointment will allow our dentists to tailor your visit to your needs, avoiding anxiety triggers as much as possible. We’ll discuss different approaches to help you to calm your nerves during and in preparation for your appointment. This may involve:

  • Talking through your treatment
  • Breathing exercisesGuided imagery and meditation
  • Using distractions
  • Dental Sedation

Talking through your treatment

We’ll make sure you know what to expect so there won’t be any surprises and will tailor your visit to your needs, whether this means avoiding needles or breaking a long appointment into a number of smaller ones. We can also arrange a hand signals if you need to take a break, so you’ll always be in control.

Call ahead and speak to reception so they can book an early appointment time for you. This will help you and your dentist plan your appointment according to your comfort levels and also help to avoid any anticipation about the day.

Relaxation exercises

Many people find relaxation techniques such as meditation, breathing exercises and progressive muscle relaxation helpful for easing their mind and body and reducing anxiety before and during their appointment. We can recommend techniques, or you can find simple tutorials online.

Using distractions

Distractions can be a simple but effective way to calm your nerves while your dentist workstreats you. Our surgery rooms are equipped with ceiling-mounted screens if you want to watch a TV show or movie. You can also bring your own entertainment or bring a loved one for emotional support.

Dental sedation for anxious patients

If the above strategies or other approaches are not effective at managing your fear to the point where you can proceed comfortably with treatment, our dental anxiety dentists in Kelmscott also offer a range of sedation options.

These are available for all treatments, depending on your suitability. The options include:

  • Local anaesthetic
  • Oral sedation
  • Sleep dentistry (intravenous (IV) sedation)
  • General anaesthesia (provided in day surgery)

Local anaesthetic

We provide local anaesthesia for any treatment that may involve pain. The anaesthetic injection numbs the part of your mouth being treated, so your experience will be painless.

If you prefer to avoid needles, we can apply a topical numbing gel. Any pain afterwards can be managed with everyday pain relief medication or other remedies.

Oral sedation

Oral sedatives in tablet form can be taken around 1 hour before your treatment. Under sedation, you will normally be conscious and able to respond to your dentist but will feel calm and relaxed.

You should arrange to have someone bring you to and from your appointment, as you should not drive under the influence of sedatives.

Sleep dentistry (intravenous (IV) sedation)

If you have moderate to severe dental anxiety, we can provide IV sedation or sleep dentistry for fast and deep sedation. Despite its name, yYou fall into a deep but conscious sleep may be awake and conscious while sedated and remain , but in a relaxed and ‘dreamlike’ state until our GP specialist anaesthetist wakes you upof mind.

As IV sedation is a stronger form of sedation, you should avoid driving for up to 24 hours after it’s administered.

General anaesthesia (provided in day surgery)

If your dental anxiety is more severe and you prefer to be unconscious during your treatment, we can arrange to have general anaesthesia provided by the qualified team at Southbank Day Surgery,

You should not drive or operate machinery for up to 48 hours after having general anaesthetic.

Calming anxiety with modern dental technology

Dental fear is sometimes based on outdated ideas of what dentistry involves. At Kelmscott Dental, we invest in the latest technologies to make treatments safer and more comfortable, and our team are committed to ongoing training and development.

From 3D digital scans avoiding the use of uncomfortable moulds to gentle teeth cleaning and polishing with minimal contact, many common anxiety triggers can be avoided or reduced with modern dental systems. We’ll give you all the information you need to make informed decisions about your treatment.

Dental anxiety dentists near me at Kelmscott Dental

Don’t suffer with unnecessary pain and worries about your teeth and gums. Our caring and experienced dentists at Kelmscott Dental are here to give sympathetic advice and treatments in the comfortable surroundings of our modern dental clinic.

Call us today on (08) 9495 7999 or book an appointment online and we’ll be in touch.

CONTACT US

(08) 9495 7999
2915 Albany Highway
Kelmscott WA 6111, Australia

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info@kelmscottdental.com.au

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Kelmscott Dental is your local choice for your friendly, family dentist servicing the Kelmscott, Armadale and Gosnells areas as well as surrounding suburbs.

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Wed: 7:30am–5:30pm
Thu: 7:30am–5:30pm
Fri: 7:30am–4:30pm
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