Scared of the Dentist? We get it!

Scared of Dentist? We get it!

It doesn’t matter if you’re tough guy with a Harley and a full sleeve of tattoos; a parent who has soothed kids through years of breaks, bleeds and bugs or a savvy business person who’s travelled the world – Dental Fear affects everyone, and it’s a real thing.

At Smile Store – Your Local Dental Specialists, we understand that some patients are nervous. We understand the reasons behind it, and all our staff are committed to making every patient feel safe; comfortable and informed. Don’t worry.

What are you afraid of, exactly?

Studies on the phenomenon of Dental Fear show that it boils down to three main things:
Fear of Pain
Fear of Embarrassment
Fear of Loss of Control

Fear of Pain a legacy of past experience

Fear of Pain is the biggie for lots of Irish patients.

In Ireland, years of rudimentary dental care (phobic patients of today recount their experiences as ‘barbaric’) instilled a life-long fear of the dentist for loads of us.

Teeth got yanked out at the drop of a hat; there was a ‘suck it up’ attitude to pain management. In cases where local anaesthetic was used, large needles were waved around without much thought for patient fear; an experience some find quite terrifying.

Unbelievably, back then dentists were also allowed to ‘knock you out’ in the chair with general anaesthetic, without any degree of finesse; dosage adjustment or contingency plan. Shudder!

No Pain in Modern Dentistry

This bears repeating, in big letters. THERE IS NO PAIN IN MODERN DENTISTRY. As with any medical procedure there may be some minor discomfort depending on what your specialist is working on, but you will not be allowed to feel any pain during your treatment at our surgery.

Keeping our patients comfortable is the goal, and dental treatment has evolved to include a whole range of clever local anaesthetics that are administered gently; sensitively and effectively.

You’ll never see needles being waved around at you. You’ll never get a nasty surprise; every step of the procedure is explained beforehand.

You will be treated in a pristine room; seated in a comfortable and hi-tech dental chair, by expert specialists and warm, friendly clinical staff. If you so much as raise an eyebrow, we’re on it. Don’t worry.

We firmly believe our patients deserve to be relaxed and comfortable while they are being treated, and no patient should ever feel pain during a procedure.

Post-procedure and managing expectations

If you left our office after a complex procedure like dental implant surgery, and started feeling terribly sore after a few hours, would you get a fright? You might.

That’s why we send you home after treatment armed with the appropriate prescriptions for pain management; anti-inflammatory medication and antibiotics.

More importantly we tell you what to expect; discomfort is entirely normal as you start to heal, and we will ensure you can manage it at home.

The antidote to fear is knowledge, coupled with a way to manage any post-procedural discomfort. You will leave our surgery knowing what to expect; what to keep an eye out for and a number to call if you have any concerns afterwards.

Feeling a bit reassured? You can call us on 021 432 0004 and we’d be happy to organise an appointment with you.