If you’re frightened of the dentist, being told to “just relax” probably isn’t very helpful.
For some people, dental anxiety means feeling a little nervous before an appointment.
For others, it’s very different.
The thought of a dental injection may cause panic. A sensitive gag reflex can make treatment feel impossible. A previous experience may have left a lasting fear. Some people are frightened of pain or of losing control in the dental chair.
And for some patients, that fear becomes so powerful that they simply stop going to the dentist.
Months can become years.
Then another worry appears:
“I’ve left it too long. What is the dentist going to think of me?”
If this sounds familiar, we want you to know that returning to dentistry doesn’t necessarily have to start with treatment.
It can start with a conversation.
A different way of approaching dental anxiety
When someone is frightened of dentistry, our first question shouldn’t simply be:
“What treatment do your teeth need?”
We also need to ask:
“What do you need to feel able to receive that treatment?”
That’s an important part of our whole-person approach to dentistry.
Different people are frightened for different reasons, so we don’t believe every nervous patient automatically needs the same solution.
For one person, taking more time and explaining everything carefully may be enough.
Another person may benefit from gradually becoming familiar with the dental environment.
Some patients may require conventional dental anxiety management or conscious sedation.
And for suitable patients who would prefer to explore a non-drug approach, clinical hypnosis may be another option to consider.
Where does clinical hypnosis fit in?
We are working with an independent clinical hypnotherapist to provide an additional referral option for appropriate patients experiencing dental anxiety.
The sessions take place online, meaning you can participate from the familiarity and privacy of your own home.
This is particularly interesting for people whose anxiety is so significant that simply walking into a dental practice feels difficult.
But there’s an important distinction.
We’re not trying to turn your dental problem into a hypnotherapy problem.
The objective is to help you get back to receiving the dental care you need.
Clinical hypnosis is one possible tool within that journey.
What is clinical hypnosis?
Clinical hypnosis is very different from stage hypnosis.
There are no swinging watches and nobody takes control of you.
You don’t become unconscious and you aren’t forced to do anything.
Clinical hypnosis typically involves focused attention, relaxation, imagery and suggestion, with the aim of helping a person respond differently to particular thoughts, feelings or situations.
In dentistry, hypnosis is recognised as one of a number of behavioural approaches that may be considered when managing dental anxiety.
That doesn’t mean it works for everyone.
And it certainly doesn’t mean we can promise to “cure dental phobia.”
Instead, for suitable patients, it may provide another way of developing strategies for managing anxiety around dental care.
Why might someone prefer this to sedation?
Conscious sedation is an important part of dentistry and can be extremely helpful for appropriate patients.
We are not anti-sedation.
But some patients specifically tell us that they would prefer to explore ways of managing their anxiety without automatically relying on medication.
Others are interested in whether they can develop techniques they may be able to use again at future dental appointments.
That’s where an approach involving clinical hypnosis may be worth considering.
Rather than asking:
“Hypnosis or sedation — which is better?”
we think the better question is:
“What is appropriate for you?”
What if I’m frightened of needles?
Needle and injection fear can be a major barrier to dental care.
You may know perfectly well that you need treatment, but the thought of the local anaesthetic injection is enough to stop you making the appointment.
That can create a difficult cycle:
fear → avoidance → dental problems worsen → more treatment may be required → anxiety increases → further avoidance.
Our aim is to help interrupt that cycle.
For an appropriate patient, that might involve discussing the fear with us, agreeing how you remain in control during treatment and potentially exploring clinical hypnosis before returning for the dental care you need.
What if I haven’t been to the dentist for years?
This is one of the groups we’re particularly keen to help.
People can avoid dentistry for many different reasons, and once several years have passed, embarrassment can become almost as powerful as the original fear.
You might be thinking:
“My teeth are going to be terrible.”
“They’re going to judge me.”
“I should have come years ago.”
“I’ve probably left it too late.”
Our role isn’t to tell you off for what happened in the past.
We need to work out where you are now and help you move forward.
Your first step doesn’t have to involve treatment
For somebody with significant dental anxiety, asking them to immediately sit in a dental chair and undergo treatment may feel overwhelming.
So the first objective may simply be to understand you.
What are you frightened of?
When did it start?
Was there a particular experience?
Is it needles?
Pain?
Gagging?
Sounds or smells?
Feeling out of control?
Or are you simply terrified of dentistry without really knowing why?
Understanding that can help us discuss the most appropriate next step.
What happens if clinical hypnosis might help me?
If, after discussing your dental anxiety, you are interested in exploring clinical hypnosis and it appears appropriate, we can refer you to the independent clinical hypnotherapist we work with.
Your hypnosis sessions take place online, from home.
This means you don’t need to travel to another clinic and, importantly for someone with severe dental anxiety, the hypnosis itself doesn’t have to happen in a dental environment.
The aim is then to support your journey back to dental care with us.
Depending upon your individual circumstances, that journey might look something like:
Talk to us → understand your dental anxiety → agree a plan → online clinical hypnosis where appropriate → return to the practice → dental assessment/treatment at a manageable pace → ongoing preventive care.
For some people who feel able to attend the practice initially, we may be able to assess their dental needs first.
That means we know what needs to be achieved before they begin working on the anxiety surrounding that particular treatment.
For somebody who isn’t yet able to walk through our door, the journey may need to start more gradually.
There isn’t one pathway that fits everyone.
Will hypnosis make me unconscious?
No.
Clinical hypnosis isn’t general anaesthesia and it isn’t dental sedation.
You remain involved in the process.
This can be particularly relevant for someone whose dental fear centres around losing control.
In fact, one of our priorities with nervous patients is making sure they understand that they remain part of decisions about their care.
What about a sensitive gag reflex?
Some patients avoid dentistry because they have an extremely sensitive gag reflex.
Even the thought of impressions, instruments or something being placed inside the mouth can create anxiety.
There can be different reasons for gagging, so it is important that the problem is properly assessed rather than assuming hypnosis is automatically the solution.
However, where anxiety is contributing to the problem, clinical hypnosis may be one option worth discussing.
Does hypnosis permanently cure dental anxiety?
We don’t think responsible healthcare should make that promise.
People are different and responses to hypnosis vary.
Our objective is not to advertise a miracle cure.
What interests us is the possibility that appropriate patients may be able to develop strategies and greater confidence that they can carry forward into future dental appointments.
That’s a very different objective from simply getting through one procedure.
Imagine somebody who has avoided dentistry for years eventually being able to attend routine examinations and hygiene appointments with much less fear.
For that person, the achievement isn’t just completing a filling.
It’s getting dentistry back into their life.
Do I have to choose between hypnosis and conventional dentistry?
Absolutely not.
Clinical hypnosis doesn’t replace good dentistry.
And a whole-person approach doesn’t mean rejecting conventional healthcare.
If you have decay, gum disease, a broken tooth or another dental problem, it still needs appropriate dental diagnosis and treatment.
The difference is that we’re also interested in what might be preventing you from receiving that treatment.
For some people, clinical hypnosis may form part of the solution.
For others it won’t.
Some patients may still benefit from sedation or another anxiety-management approach.
The important thing is that we discuss the options rather than assuming everyone needs exactly the same thing.
Dentistry that treats the person, not just the teeth
We’re developing our approach around a simple idea:
Excellent dentistry isn’t only about what treatment we can perform. It’s also about helping people feel able to receive it.
That is particularly important for people who have spent years avoiding dental care.
So if you’ve been frightened of making an appointment, please don’t think your first conversation with us needs to involve committing to treatment.
It doesn’t.
We can start by understanding what’s stopping you.
From there, we can discuss the options available and build an appropriate route back to dental care.
For suitable patients who want to explore a non-drug approach to dental anxiety, that may include referral to the independent clinical hypnotherapist we work with for online sessions from home.
Then, when you’re ready, we’re here to look after your dental health.
Scared of the dentist? Start with a conversation.
Whether it’s been six months, six years or considerably longer since your last dental appointment, the important thing is deciding what happens next.
You don’t need to be ready for dental treatment to contact us.
Tell us what you’re frightened of.
Let’s understand the problem first.
Then we can work together on the next step.
Ready to take the first step?
Contact our Chester dental team for a confidential conversation about your dental anxiety and the different ways we may be able to support your return to dentistry.