Visiting a dental practice can be a nerve-wracking experience for first timers, and understandably so; it’s a new environment with new people, and it can be quite an anxious time. That’s why we’ve come up with a couple things our patients can try to keep themselves calm when coming to see your dentist in Kings Hill.
Practice breathing exercises
Normally when we feel nervous, it’s due to rising anxiety, that’s brought on by a spike in Adrenaline in your system, because of your bodies natural ‘fight or flight’ response. This causes increased heart rate, sweating, shaking and a generally stressful experience. To counteract this, when you’re in our practice, try using some calming breathing techniques.
Slowly inhaling through your nose and back out through your mouth, will basically flood your system with oxygen, which in turn, helps your body break down the Adrenaline much faster. Doing this for a few minutes should slowly start to calm you back down.
Communicate with our team
When you visit your dentist in Kings Hill, it really can’t be stressed enough how important it is that you communicate with us. Unfortunately, modern technology hasn’t advanced to the point where we can read your mind, so you have to let us know when things are getting a little too much.
If you’re too nervous to talk, then a simple hand movement can also suffice; try talking to us about setting up a communication system.
At One Smile Oral Care, we will take our time with our treatments and always go at your pace. Our team will always strive to create a relaxing and peaceful environment for you.
Listen to music
Some of our procedures may involve you sitting in the practice for quite a while, and having to sit in the quiet for so long can send some anxious patients’ minds into a tailspin. That’s why we recommend you just pop on some of your favourite tunes to zen you right out and distract your brain for a while.
Although, if you plan on lying back to listen to some tracks, then we suggest you avoid any thumping electronics or heavy metal, as the fast beats and tempo of this music will get your heart rate back up again. Classical, downtempo, or anything generally marketed as chill out themed, is a great place to start in order to find some good calming tracks.
Bring in a plush or bear
Despite what people say, you’re never too old for a teddy bear. Having that familiar scent of home in your hands is a great way to distract you when you visit your dental team. Plus, there’s nothing better than having something fluffy to squeeze tight when you feel any discomfort. Although, rest assured that our team will always try to keep any uncomfortable moments during treatments to a minimum if we can.
Hopefully this has helped our future nervous patients feel a little more at ease about coming to our practice. If you’re still a bundle of anxiety, then talk to our team about how we can help you relax when you pop by for an appointment.