Telephone:
01773 860816

Telephone:
01773 832164

Opening hours:
Unknown

Telephone:
01332 299700

Opening hours:
Monday: 09.45-2.00, 3.00-18.00
Tuesday: 09.45-2.00, 3.00-19.00
Wednesday: 09.45-2.00, 3.00-19.00
Thursday: 09.45-2.00, 3.00-19.00
Friday: 09.45-2.00
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed

We also noted that, in the worst cases, people who suffer from dental fear may completely avoid dental treatment, even when it is clear that dental care is urgently required, and we all know that dental problems won’t “just go away.” In these cases, the dental problem frequently gets worse, and results in the need for more treatment, more expense, and more anguish. Additionally, and most importantly, failure to treat dental problems can result in serious illnesses such as heart disease, strokes and diabetes. This means that it’s absolutely essential that we learn to overcome dental fear so that we can ensure that we get the best treatment possible before it becomes serious. So just what can we do to beat dental phobia? Here are some tips and techniques to help:

Before everything else, we need to understand that dental technology has moved on significantly in the past few years, and if your anxiety is based on distressing prior experiences, you will feel reassured that circumstances will tend to be significantly easier and less distressing now. By way of example, if you’re afraid of injections, dentists are now able to use a gel that deadens sensation in your gums ahead of an injection so you that you won’t even feel it. Or if this still bothers, you may prefer to enquire about the range of sedation options that are available.

Before you even start looking for a dentist, try to work out the reason why you have your fear. At what point did you initially begin to feel it? Was there any particular reason? All too often fear of the dentist is very generalised. However, if you are able to pinpoint the root cause of your fear, or what precisely you’re afraid of, you’ll have the ability to examine this with your dentist and she or he will be able to put you at ease.In recent years, dentists are becoming a great deal more aware of the significance of comforting patients and helping them relax. Many modern dentists now put a lot of thought into making their clinics as welcoming and relaxing as possible, with pleasant interiors and friendly, responsive staff. Many dentists now offer optional counseling to nervous patients and will be willing to go through the range of treatments on offer with you. The keys here are to look for a dental surgeon that specialises in dealing with nervous patients and that you feel at ease with before you sign up for any treatment. That way, you’l be sure to get the care you need. It’s definitely worth looking around and, with so many dental clinics available in the Derby areas, there is no real reason to continue with a dentist you are not able to relax with, or one you sense is not really the best one for the job.

Before you even start looking for a dentist, though, try to work out the reason why you have your fear. At what point did you initially begin to feel it? Was there any particular reason? All too often fear of the dentist is very generalised. However, if you are able to pinpoint the root cause of your fear, or what precisely you’re afraid of, you’ll have the ability to examine this with your dentist and she or he will be able to put you at ease.

In the event that you’re very worried, you can implement a progressive approach to your dental treatment by working up to it over a series of visits. This will likely give you greater self-confidence in going to the dentist. For example, your initial appointment might just be to go over some potential options and to talk with your dental professional, and you might also receive some coaching and reassurance during this session. Your second visit may be for a  simple check up in which the dentist uses just a mirror. Then, in your next appointment, you can go on to a very simple clean and polish and work your way up from there.

Numerous dental patients feel troubled due to the fact that they consider themselves to be helpless when at the dentists. If you experience this type of fear, consider agreeing on a “stop” sign with the dentist:  when you make a certain gesture he or she will stop treatment and let you take a break, or ask questions. A simple strategy such as this can give a major boost to your confidence and help you to relax knowing that you’re in control of the process.

Other things you might do to relax while at the dentists can include attempting to keep your brain focused entirely on something more pleasing than what the dentist is doing! Consider listening to music, an audio book or a presentation or lecture. Your dentist will probably be more than happy for you to bring your ipod or music player in with you, and some will even be happy to play your choice of music over the sound system in the treatment room.

Even though you are in the dentist’s chair, you can also utilise mental activities or games to take your attention off your treatment. You can also make plans, think of something to reward yourself with after your appointment, or simply think about some of your happy memories (or ways to create new ones!) You may even set yourself physical challenges to try and do, for instance, trying to wriggle each of your toes individually!  You’re only limited by your imagination, and by using it now, you’re appointment will be over before you know it! Before you visit the dentist, try to think of some ways to focus your attention on something that will help you relax.

Here are a few other techniques that can help you relax:

- Find organisations that specialise in helping men and women with phobias and go and visit them (check with your general practitioner and look at local healthcare web sites to find where to go)

- Consider hypnotherapy to help you conquer your anxiety: for quite a few people the results can be powerful.

- Take a friend with you to the dentists to help you relax

- Have something to eat prior to going so you don’t feel faint during treatment

Whatever you decide to do, the easiest way to get over your concerns about the dentist long-term is to first accept that dental care by a experienced dental professional is absolutely essential to your overall health and well-being, and then to make dental treatment almost unnecessary, so that you don’t actually need anything beyond the odd check-up and cleaning. Take good care of your teeth by cleaning them twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, start flossing regularly and look after your general health. By doing this, you’ll soon get into a cycle where you only need to see your dentist twice a year for quick, painless check-ups that are over in just a few minutes. When you get to this stage, you’ll start to notice that the fear you once felt is rapidly fading and that going to the dentist, once a major cause of fear and concern, has become really nothing more than part of your routine.

Click here to read the first part of our Fear of the Dentist article.

Telephone:
01332 700244

Opening hours:
Monday: 08.30-12.00, 13.45-17.15
Tuesday: 08.30-12.00, 13.45-17.15
Wednesday: 08.30-12.00, 13.45-17.15
Thursday: 08.30-12.00, 13.45-17.15
Friday: 08.30-12.30
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed

Telephone:
01332 559124‎

Opening hours:
Monday: 08.45-12.15, 13.30-17.00
Tuesday: 08.45-12.15, 13.30-17.00
Wednesday: 08.45-12.15, 13.30-17.00
Thursday: 08.45-12.15, 13.30-17.00
Friday: 08.45-12.15, 13.30-15.30
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed

Telephone:
01332 364630

Opening hours:
Monday: 09.00-17.30
Tuesday: 09.00-17.30
Wednesday: 14.00-17.30
Thursday: 09.15-16.15
Friday: 09.00-14.30
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed

Telephone:
01332 776177

Opening hours:
Monday: 07.30-14.30
Tuesday: 07.30-14.30
Wednesday: 07.30-14.30
Thursday: 10.00-19.00
Friday: 09.00-18.00
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed

Telephone:
01332 348831

Opening hours:
Monday: 09.00-17.30
Tuesday: 14.00-17.30
Wednesday: 09.00-16.45
Thursday: 09.00-16.45
Friday: 09.00-14.30
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed