Many patients who go to the dentist do so out of fear, justified or not, and only when they experience pain.
The fear may be based on a traumatizing past experience or the patient is not used to the idea of seeing the dentist regularly.
This is why many patients only go to the dentist when they have a problem and fear is a part of the pain.
To make the experience with the dentist as pleasant as possible, patients can take a few steps in this direction:
Ask for recommendations from friends and family – as a patient, if you don’t have a dentist you go to regularly you can ask trusted people around you to recommend someone. In this way, a pleasant experience from those close to you can bring you a degree of comfort and save you from unpleasant surprises.
Search online for a dental office– most dental offices have an online site where patients can describe their experience. Practices that have a good rating and seem promising can reassure the patient and give them a degree of comfort.
Patients can also learn more about the treatments performed and the methods used.
The online environment can be misleading and advertisements can be misleading, so your research before choosing one doctor or another should be thorough, not rushed!
Communication and honesty– don’t hide the fact that you are afraid of your dentist. Hiding these fears only exacerbates the anxiety. It is not a good approach to be shy. Doctors appreciate patients’ honesty and openness.
Concerns and fears need to be communicated, as well as expectations of desired outcomes.
Any discomfort should be signaled and communication should be open. Only in this way will the experience turn out to be a positive one, leading to a relationship of closeness and mutual trust.
Don’t hesitate to ask your dentist questions – it is normal for patients to have questions and concerns about treatments, recommendations and postoperative indications. You can ask the doctor to explain the procedure in detail, because just knowing what to expect will make the operative moment much more tolerable and passable.
After extensive surgery, knowing the possible complications as well as managing them guarantees peace of mind for the patient.
Try to manage your emotions and communicate with your dentist.
If you are relaxed or nervous before the procedure, discuss this with your dentist, he will point out ways in which the experience can be made easier.
Nowadays there are solutions that can help you relax and overcome difficult moments during procedures.
Nitrous oxide inhalation is one of them. Pre-operative medication can also reduce anxiety.
The doctor and all the dental office staff will try to keep the atmosphere as relaxed as possible so that the visit is stress-free.
To do this, however, the patient needs to communicate their fears, not hesitate to ask for details, have a good capacity for understanding and patience on both sides is needed to achieve the desired results.
