Most of us find the visiting the dentist a fairly normal affair. We go in, sit down, talk to the team about how we’re doing and then go home again. It sounds easy enough, but for some people this can still be quite a nerve-racking experience that can put them off a potentially vital check-up.
So here are a few tips from our team on how to keep calm when you visit your dentist in Stevenage.
Talk to us
Starting off our list strongly we have perhaps one of the most important things you can do to keep calm when visiting your dentist in Stevenage and that’s to just talk to us. Opening up a line of dialogue with our team can let them know to stop when things are getting a little too much for you or you just need a break for a while.
If you’re still nervous when it comes to speaking to strangers then try just arranging some sort of hand signal to let us know when to stop. It doesn’t have to be anything too complicated, just putting your hand up is enough to let us know.
At Smilecraft Dental Care our friendly team are always willing to help new patients feel at home when they stop by for an appointment.
Bring in a bear
Now of course we don’t mean an actual bear, that would be a little too dangerous in a dental practice, but a stuffed version won’t do any harm and can often relax a nervous patient.
Bringing in a teddy bear from home is a good way to relax, as it gives you that familiar texture and smell of a place where you feel safe, and in an unfamiliar environment, like the practice of a dentist in Stevenage, it can be an island of calm in a sea of anxiety.
Listen to some music
Hearing the drills and goings on of a practice can trigger a lot of nervous patients, so that’s why we recommend blocking out the noise with some of your favourite tracks. Having something that you love to listen to is a great way to distract yourself from any ongoing treatments.
Although, if you do plan on jamming on a few tracks we suggest that you keep it to something calming like classical or jazz. Anything electronic or heavy metal based will just get your heart rate racing again with their fast tempos.
Use meditative breathing
Relaxing breathing techniques are another great way to beat the anxiety. As your body flushes with adrenalin, a few slow breaths in and out can flood your system with oxygen, which allows your body to break this chemical cocktail down faster and lets you feel calmer quicker.
These are just a few things you can try to keep yourself calm when you visit our practice. If you start to feel your nerves get the better of you then don’t hesitate to let our team know and they will do their best to put you at ease.