Many people are afraid of visiting the dentist. In fact, dental anxiety prevents millions of people from visiting the dentist every year. When people fear the dentist they may not make an appointment when they have tooth damage or toothache, resulting in prolonged severe pain and gum infection, which can even lead to more serious medical issues, such as: diabetes, stroke and heart disease.

Thankfully, the majority of dentists are now highly experienced in dealing with people who are afraid of visiting the dentist. At Liverpool Smile Studio we know that many people suffer with dental phobia as they have had a bad experience when they were younger, or they have suffered pain in a previous appointment.

What you can do to relieve your fears

There are a few things that can be done to help reduce dental anxiety and give you some courage when you need to visit the dentist in Liverpool. It’s a good idea to find a dentist that you can trust and that will understand your concerns. A good way to go about finding a suitable dentist is by looking for dentists that say they are experienced at dealing with anxious patients, or perhaps you can receive a recommendation from a friend or family member. Make a morning appointment so your anxiety isn’t building throughout the day, you may even want to take someone along with you to your appointment, or listen to music during treatments.

How your dentist can help with your fears

A good dentist will help you to feel more relaxed about any treatment you may need to receive by fully explaining the procedure. This means you will know what to expect so there shouldn’t be any surprises or shocks. You can arrange a signal with the dentist and using this will alert them during treatment if you experience any discomfort, or if you need to take a break.

Sedation during dental treatments is another option that many dental clinics can offer anxious patients. To find out if your clinic offers sedation, speak to your dentist. Liverpool Smile Studio offers sedation to those who are afraid of receiving dental treatments. If you are someone that thinks they would benefit from dental sedation, please contact us for an experienced, understanding dentist in Liverpool.

If you fear the dentist, there is no need to feel ashamed or embarrassed – it’s a serious issue and is very common. Liverpool Smile Studio is highly experienced in the treatment of nervous, anxious, and phobic patients, and even has a Dental Phobia Certified dentist, Dr Jeanine McGinty.

Being Dental Phobia Certified means that Dr McGinty is recognised for her work with nervous and phobic patients. You need never fear being judged if you need a lot of work on your teeth and gums because fear of the dentist has prevented you from visiting for years, even decades (or even if you have never visited a dentist at all). Instead, Dr McGinty and the whole team at Liverpool Smile Studio are committed to working with you to help you conquer that fear and achieve the healthy, happy smile you deserve.

There are numerous causes of fear of the dentist, from a bad experience in the past to anxiety about what treatment may be required. When you come into our Liverpool clinic for a consultation, we will work at your pace. We’ll start with an informal chat and, if you feel able to tell us what sparks your fear, we will do all we can to help – for example, if the sight of the drill terrifies you as it does many people, your dentist in Liverpool can ensure it is not in view when you come for your check-up.

Even if you can’t identify a specific cause or trigger, we can still help. Sedation dentistry is an increasingly popular method of helping anxious patients back to full oral health. It involves the controlled delivery of sedative drugs, which are delivered intravenously and induce a feeling of deep relaxation and peace.

Our Liverpool dental clinic is fully equipped to offer sedation dentistry, and you will be carefully monitored at all times.

Most patients who have sedation at Liverpool Smile Studio remember little about treatment afterwards, coming round with all the work done. However, those who do have some memory of treatment often report that it helps them to see that visiting the dentist in Liverpool is not so scary after all.

Fear and phobia of the dentist are common problems, affecting approximately one in ten adults in the UK to the extent that they fail to attend general dental check-ups, often not visiting a practice until an emergency arises. At Liverpool Smile Studio we think that dentists have something of an unwarranted bad reputation, but we fully understand and empathise with the needs of nervous patients. We are committed to working with you to help you get back to oral health, as well as to achieve the smile of your dreams.

At our Liverpool practice, dentist Dr Jeanine McGinty is Dental Phobia certified. This means she is officially recognised for her skilled and compassionate treatment of nervous patients. She will take the time to work at your own pace, helping you to find the best route back to oral health whether you know what sparks your fear of the dentist or not.

There are many causes of fear of the dentist. Often, a negative experience during childhood can be to blame – which is why at Liverpool Smile Studio we encourage you to bring your child in to see the dentist from a young age, to familiarise them with the practice environment and help them to learn it is nothing to be afraid of.

Other causes may be fear of judgement if dental health has fallen into poor condition, or anxiety brought on by specific triggers such as the sound of the drill.

Whatever the cause of your fear of the dentist, the whole team at Liverpool Smile Studio is committed to helping you beat it once and for all.

A popular way for nervous dental patients to get treatment is to have it under conscious sedation. This does not mean that you will be asleep as you would be with general anaesthetic, meaning that you can cooperate with any instructions your dentist gives you. However, you will feel very relaxed and largely unaware of treatment. Most importantly of all, of course, you won’t experience any pain or discomfort.

By choosing sedation dentistry at our Liverpool clinic, you can get your oral health, and your life, back.

If you are scared of the dentist, you may feel like you are on your own. At Liverpool Smile Studio we are eager to point out that you are not – in fact, approximately one in ten patients in the UK are so afraid of dental treatment that they simply refuse to go, only driven into a practice when a painful emergency occurs. This can end up feeding the fear as the pain and the potential of more invasive treatment can in turn create bad feeling about the dentist.

We are also keen to point out that we are here to work with you to help you conquer your fear for good, get you back to oral health and keep you there.

The whole team at Liverpool Smile Studio takes nervous and phobic patients’ concerns seriously. There are numerous causes and reasons for fear of the dentist, which include:

• A bad experience during childhood
• Exaggerated tales from family/friends
• Fear of being judged for having poor oral health
• Fear of any treatment requirements
• Specific triggers – the drill, needles, sounds or smells
• Fear of being out of control of the situation

At Liverpool Smile Studio we will never judge you if you haven’t visited the dentist for a long time because of fear, or indeed for any other reason. We can start with an informal chat away from the dentist’s chair, where our team can reassure you about the safety and painlessness of modern dental techniques, as well as discussing anything specific you are frightened of.

Your dentist will be happy to pause treatment if you raise your hand, so that you remain in control – don’t worry about holding the dentist up, we will factor plenty of time into your appointment and we know that everybody needs a breather now and then.

Conscious sedation is an excellent option for many patients. At our Liverpool clinic we have a dedicated sedation dentist, Dr Jeanine McGinty, who is fully qualified to deliver dental sedation.

Whilst you won’t be unconscious or asleep, you will be very relaxed, and won’t remember much about treatment afterwards, nor feel any pain.

Regular visits to the dentist should be considered as much a part of your health routine as enjoying a healthy diet and visiting the gym. At Liverpool Smile Studio we believe preventative dentistry is the key to good oral health, with the aim of stopping problems before they start.

However, if you do have any dental health concerns, the sooner you see your dentist the better. As with most things, when it comes to oral health conditions, the quicker you act the simpler, easier, and less invasive they are to treat.

If you are a nervous patient who hasn’t seen a dentist in many years, we can help you. We are the leading Liverpool practice for treating nervous patients, and have a dedicated sedation dentist who is highly experienced in treating those with fear or phobia of dental treatment. Conscious sedation, whilst not sending you to sleep, makes you very peaceful and relaxed. You will remember very little about treatment when it’s complete, and most importantly of all won’t experience any pain.

When you come for a general dental check-up, your dentist will perform a complete oral health check, encompassing your teeth, gums, and surrounding structures, and including a mouth cancer screening as standard.

Tooth decay often has few early symptoms to notice at home. At our Liverpool dental studio we can use special techniques to detect decay early, for example if it occurs under an old crown or filling. Similarly with gum disease it is often your dentist or hygienist that spots the issue first. Both tooth decay and gum disease are leading causes of tooth loss, but are easily treated if spotted early.

We will also assess your hygiene, recommending a visit to the hygienist if necessary to remove plaque or tartar. Your dentist will assess the condition, appearance, and function of any existing restorations – bridgework, crowns, dentures, or fillings – and will recommend any treatment as necessary.

At our Liverpool practice we appreciate many patients have busy working lives, which is why we offer appointments from 8am Monday to Friday, enabling you to fit your dental treatment around your lifestyle.

Does fear of the dentist put you off seeking dental treatment? You are not alone: approximately one in ten adults in the UK is so nervous about visiting a dental practice that they simply refuse to go. At Liverpool Smile Studio, we offer sedation dentistry, which can be the perfect way to get the treatment you need in a stress-free, peaceful manner.

Fear of the dentist has numerous causes, and sedation dentistry can help with all of them. Some people had a bad experience as a child, while others have specific triggers – the sound of the drill, the sight of a needle, the sounds and smells of a practice. Others still fear that they will be judged because their oral health has fallen into poor condition because of their fear.

At Liverpool Smile Studio, you will never be judged if fear of the dentist has caused you to avoid treatment until an emergency arises. Our whole team is sympathetic to the needs of nervous dental patients and understand that in some cases the condition can be so severe that it triggers panic attacks and other unpleasant symptoms.

However, we believe that in the 21st Century fear should not be a barrier to treatment, whether you are in need of extensive restorative work or would love to have cosmetic dental treatment to achieve the beautiful smile you’ve always dreamt of, if only you could overcome your dental anxiety.

The good news is that with sedation dentistry, you can. At our Liverpool dental practice we have a dedicated sedation dentist, Dr Jeanine McGinty. Jeanine is a Dental Phobia certified dentist and is highly experienced in helping anxious, nervous, and phobic patients to get much needed treatment.

Jeanine attained a Post Graduate Certificate in Conscious Sedation in 2007 and has helped scores of patients just like you.

We offer intravenous conscious sedation at our Liverpool dental practice. With this method, you will not be asleep, so can cooperate with your dentist, but will be in a highly relaxed and peaceful state and won’t feel any pain.

Most patients remember very little about treatment when sedation wears off.