If you only ever saw dentists portrayed in movies and television, then we can certainly understand why you might be fearful or anxious about visiting us.
While we can assure you that our practice is nothing like the ones in the movies, we also know that saying this is not going to make your dental anxiety vanish.
Knowing something else might help, however. Many patients with anxiety continue to visit our dentist office in Midlothian, VA. This is because we have a compassionate and caring staff who wants to help every patient feel comfortable. We also offer services (which we discuss below) that can make dental care easier for you.
Before you schedule an appointment for a dental cleaning at Biggers Family Dentistry, we want you to know that you can learn to manage your anxiety . If you take things one step at a time, we will be here to walk with you.
To learn more about us, start by calling (804) 621-2199 or by reaching out to us online .
Step One: Try To Understand Your Anxiety
As we noted above, movies and television haven’t exactly presented the most flattering pictures of dentists over the years. Even so, most people have very real reasons for feeling anxious about dental care.
If you can identify the reason or reasons for your anxiety, that can be an important first step.
We’ve learned from many patients that they had a bad experience at a dentist’s office when they were younger. Often that experience makes it difficult to return to a dentist chair even as they get older.
You may have had a dentist who was particularly critical of the condition of your teeth. Feeling like you are going to be judged is not a comfortable feeling for anyone, and that’s not what you will find at Biggers Family Dentistry. Here, you will receive support and encouragement to improve and maintain your oral health.
You may have had a painful dental experience. Dr. Biggers knows this can be the case for many patients who are from his generation. The good news is that modern dental tools and techniques allow us to provide can that is as painless as possible, and in many cases, that means completely pain-free.
We also know that some patients have more sensitive gag reflexes than others, and it’s understandable why you might not want to go to a place where people are looking inside your mouth.
These are just a few of the reasons you may feel anxious. Taking some time to think about them will help you take the next step ….
Step Two: Talk To Someone About Ways To Manage Your Anxiety
Before you schedule a dental appointment, it may help to schedule a consultation with our dentist, Dr. Hood Biggers.
This will give you a chance to meet him and to meet members of our team. It also is an opportunity to visit our us to see how it may be different than what you might expect a dentist office to be.
This also is your chance to share the reasons for your anxiety. Knowing this, we can work with you on ways to make dental care easier for you to handle.
For example, some patients prefer to wear headphones and listen to music. This blocks out the sounds of dental equipment and allows them to focus their attention on something else.
For patients with stronger anxiety, sedation dentistry can provide an extra boost to help them feel relaxed throughout their dental care. Dental sedation such a nitrous oxide (laughing gas) and oral sedation (medication) can help you stay calm and can prevent you from feeling any pain during your dental cleaning or other treatment.
Step Three: Be Patient With Yourself
When you are finally ready for a dental cleaning, this may be the most important step for everyone.
Dental anxiety is not going to magically disappear in one visit to our office. However, dental care can become a little easier to handle with each visit.
By making professional dental care a regular part of your oral health routine, you may find with time and patience that you might even feel comfortable at our dentist office in Midlothian, VA.
To find out more about how we can help you, please reach out to us online or call (804) 621-2199.