Easing Dental Anxiety
Simple, practical steps that make a real difference to how a visit feels, from the first message to treatment, and what we do differently for nervous patients.
How Can I Make a Dental Visit Easier If I'm Anxious?
Tell us how you feel when you book, so your dentist knows before you arrive. Message us on WhatsApp if a phone call feels too much, choose a time when you won't be rushed, bring someone with you, and ask for every step to be explained before it happens. Agree a stop signal, and we stop straight away. At St Vincent Smile in Finnieston, Glasgow, nothing is done until you've agreed to it, a first visit can be just a conversation, and IV sedation with Dr Kalsi is available for treatment if nerves are severe.
Tell Us How You Feel
The single most useful thing you can do is tell us you're nervous when you book, and what worries you most. It might be injections, the sound of the drill, gagging, feeling out of control, being judged for how your teeth have got, or the cost. Each has a different answer, and knowing in advance means your dentist plans the visit around you rather than finding out in the chair. Tell us what has helped at the dentist before, and what hasn't. You don't need to explain everything at once, and a family member or friend is welcome to get in touch for you. Many of our patients hadn't been for years before they came to us. Whatever has brought you here, you won't be lectured.
Before You Come
- Message us on WhatsApp if a phone call feels too much. Write it in your own words; a sentence is enough
- Book a free consultation just to talk, with no examination unless you want one
- Choose a time of day when you won't be rushed or sitting in the waiting room worrying. Early in the day suits many people
- Bring a friend or family member, into the room if it helps
- Fill in your medical history online beforehand, from the link we send you, so there's less to do on the day
- Eat something light beforehand, unless you've been told otherwise, and go easy on caffeine, which makes anxiety worse
- Write down your questions. It's easy to forget them once you're there
Start with a Message
Tell us how you feel, in your own words.
During Your Visit
- Ask for each step to be explained before it happens. We'll tell you what we're doing and why, and we'll warn you before anything noisy
- Agree a stop signal, like raising your hand, and we stop straight away, every time. Knowing you can stop is often what makes it possible to start
- Breathe slowly: in for four, hold for four, out for four. It's hard to feel panicked and breathe slowly at the same time
- Bring your own headphones and music, or a podcast, to drown out the sounds
- Ask for shorter appointments to start with, building up as you feel ready
- Ask for breaks. We work in short spells if that's what you need
- Nothing is done until you're ready and have agreed to it, and you can change your mind at any point
Common Worries, and What We Do
| Worry | What we do |
|---|---|
| Injections | Numbing gel on the gum first, then the injection given slowly. Most people barely feel it |
| The sound of the drill | Headphones and your own music are welcome, and we warn you before anything noisy |
| Gagging | Short spells with breaks, digital scans instead of putty impressions, and sedation if your gag reflex is strong |
| Being judged | Never. However long it's been, we're glad you're here, and the problems we see are common |
| Losing control | You decide when we start, and the stop signal works every time |
| Unexpected costs | A written plan with every fee before any treatment starts, so there are no surprises |
Tell us which of these sounds like you. It helps us plan your visit.
If It Feels Too Much: Sedation
For treatment, rather than dental examinations, IV sedation with Dr Kalsi helps you relax deeply. It's given through a small cannula in the back of your hand or arm, and within a minute or two you feel calm, warm and a little sleepy. You stay awake in the sense that you can answer questions and open wider when asked, but the worry switches off, time seems to pass quickly, and most people remember little of it afterwards. The area being treated is numbed with local anaesthetic as usual, and a trained team monitors your breathing, pulse and oxygen levels throughout.
You'll need an adult to bring you, wait, and take you home, and you can't drive, drink alcohol or sign anything important for 24 hours. IV sedation is £500 per session, plus £250 for each additional 30 minutes, and it's assessed at your free consultation. Our sedation guide covers how to prepare.
Avoided the Dentist for Years?
The hardest part is usually getting in touch. Whether it's been two years or twenty, the problems we see are common and most can be put right, and we'll focus on what can be done rather than what's been missed. Your first visit can be a conversation, then a gentle look only if you're ready, then a written plan sorted into what's urgent, what's important and what can wait, with the fee for each. If you're in pain right now, we keep same-day emergency appointments for people in pain, registered with us or not, at £70. Our guide to a first visit after years away explains exactly what happens.
Does It Get Easier?
For most people, yes. Anxiety feeds on the unknown, and each visit that goes the way we said it would takes some of the fear away. Starting with something simple, such as a conversation or a hygiene visit, and building up from there works better than facing everything at once. Regular dental examinations keep each visit short and predictable, which is far easier on the nerves than years of avoidance followed by an emergency. And sedation is there as a safety net for longer treatment, so nothing has to be endured.
Questions
This guide is general information, not a diagnosis. A dentist needs to examine you to say what is right for your teeth.