Anxious Patients

Are you scared of visiting the dentist?

We see plenty of nervous dental patients from across Plymouth, so if you feel nervous about visiting the dentist or hygienist you are not alone. One in four of us are scared of the dentist, often due either to a negative past dental experience, embarrassment about our teeth and mouth or fear of pain or the unknown. In some, that fear is so intense that it is classed as dental phobia, which can cause panic attacks and severe anxiety at even the thought of a trip to surgery.

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Treatments

At Larkham House Dental Practice, we promise to look after you really well, especially our anxious patients, offering only gentle dentistry.

Our focus is on providing exceptional care for dental patients who experience dental phobia. Our compassionate and knowledgeable team will have open conversations with you in a comfortable and calming atmosphere to address your anxieties. We make sure to present you with all the available options and thoroughly explain your treatment plan, including costs and steps involved, before proceeding with any procedures. Additionally, we implement signals to ensure you can easily communicate with us if you need to take a break during treatment.

Dental Advances

If you haven’t seen a dentist for several years because of fear or anxiety, be reassured that you should find the experience more bearable nowadays.

Advances in technology have also improved dentistry. Treatment can now be completely painless. A numbing gel can also be used to numb your gums before an injection so you don’t feel the needle.

Visit Dental Fear Central for information on dental anxiety.

How do we manage dental pain for anxious patients?

Many of our very nervous patients are now comfortable with our ‘no pain’ techniques and numbing gels, there are various methods and techniques we can use to alleviate your dental anxiety and pain. Dependent on your tolerance and sensitivity we can use numbing agents (topical for tenderness) or sedatives (by injection for nerve sensitivity) during treatment.

We encourage our patients to listen to their favourite music or an audiobook during treatment, while always being able to alert the dentist or hygienist. If you are experiencing discomfort or want us to give you a moment, on your agreed signal we will stop immediately, ensuring that you always remain in control of your visit to Larkham House.

Tips on how to ease your dental fear

Find an understanding dentist.
Visit the surgery, meet your dentist and tell them about your fears
Pick an appointment early in the morning, so you don’t spend all day dreading it.
Your first appointment will simply be a check-up, with no fillings, drills or needles.
Take a friend to accompany you throughout the check-up.
Agree on a sign with your dentist to signal that you need a break and want them to stop, keeping you in control.
Start gradually with a clean and polish then work up to more extensive treatment.
Take your phone and earphones with you, so you can listen to music to help you relax.

FOR MORE INFORMATION REGARDING THIS TREATMENT

Call 01752 343 140 Contact

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What do they say about Larkham House?

“I visited the dentist at Larkham House, and I cannot recommend it highly enough .My usual dentist was off so I had a lovely lady she put me at ease as soon as I...”

Jackie

“I used to be so very very nervous about going to the dentist now since I've been going to larkham house all my anxiety and worries have completely been forgotten. All the reception staff...”

Alan

“I recently had the pleasure of visiting the dentist at Larkham House, and I cannot recommend it highly enough! From the moment I walked in, I was greeted with warmth and professionalism. The staff...”

Rohan

“Great service these last few days. I dropped my denture on the bathroom floor and it broke in half. Panic stations until I rang reception who said to bring it in the following day...”

Dennis

“Lovely staff, very clean, thank you all booked for next appointment would recommend!”

Jess

“Great practice, I've been going here for years and have never had a bad experience. All the staff are so lovely and make me feel comfortable. So happy with my recent treatment my dentist...”

Megan

“Went here with a dental emergency. Took less than 5 minutes, no teeth needed to be pulled! Got anti biotics. Great staff. Abscess drained. They were brilliant”

Holly

Laura Johnson

19:36 24 Oct 22

Very friendly staff! I suffer with anxiety and every time I have an appointment the dentist is very patient and goes through everything to make sure I am OK and not too nervous. The dentist nurses, particularly Rachel is amazing! Especially with my children when they come in makes me feel at ease!

Teresa Floyd

08:16 21 Aug 22

Had a referral from Seven Trees as I had severe dental painI am a very nervous patient however the service I received was outstanding from the minute I arrived to the minute I left and no more tooth painThank you so much

Christine Boyle

20:10 07 Apr 22

Had an appointment with Clohe yesterday and I can't praise her enough. So thorough and nothing was too much trouble for her. She was very caring and cosiderat e I felt relaxed and nothing was too much of a problem for her too deal with. My appointment was not rushed .

Adam Davie

19:59 10 Oct 21

From the offset call confirming my appointment this dental practice experience was five star compared to dentist based Midlands . Front desk staff / nurses excellent giving me the reassurance that I was booked in with a great dentist as I personally have a fear of the dentist being in my late 30s . After my review etc with the dentist it was forgone conclusion that a full on extraction was required the dentist himself was unbelievable reassuring excellent service total professionalism which I haven’t come across recently, great team whom care about the patient journey I most certainly didn’t just feel like a number under their care . Thank you to all staff at Larkham House Dental Practice.

Anthony Grave

20:07 12 May 21

Very good

brian rogers

16:08 18 Mar 21

On the 18/3/21 I had 2 extractions From the outset the staff were very friendly helpful and very professional the Dentist was brilliant I never felt hardly any of the extractions I will definitely use a again excellent service thank you...