Dental anxiety, the unpleasant feeling or stress that something undesirable will happen in a dental appointment, affects 51 per cent of the UK population. As a dental prophylaxis appointment may require periodontal probing, X-rays, and the prophylaxis itself, this can be an uncomfortable experience for anxious patients.
Dental prophylaxis may need to be performed on some patients prior to impression-taking or tooth whitening. It can also be provided as an effective treatment for mild-moderate gingivitis, preventing further development of the condition. Creating a trusting environment in your practice can reduce patient anxiety and allow you to deliver such treatments with greater confidence.
A calming practice
Sound can be a key stimulant for anxiety. Maintaining a relaxing atmosphere in the dental practice by playing soft music can help. Within an appointment, pleasant music can reduce the activity of the neuroendocrine and sympathetic nervous systems, reducing stress.
Whether your practice plays background music or the patient wears earphones should be up to them, promoting a feeling of control. Another aural component to consider is tone of voice. Staff should use a positive, caring tone with patients that further supplements the calming environment.
Other sensory stimulants that can be controlled include the avoidance of bright lights and high temperatures, but brightly coloured rooms and posters can have a positive impact. Pleasant ambient odours in a dental practice have also been found to increase patient comfort for moderate cases of anxiety, often concealing the smells of chemicals that can trigger stress.
Key communication
A calming waiting room environment can help accommodate anxious patients prior to their appointment. Once in the surgery, it is up to the practitioner to comfort the patient by communicating clearly and effectively, identifying anxieties and finding solutions around them.
Children often have a fear of the dentist and finding ways to keep them comfortable in the dental chair can be difficult. The source of fear can include many things: the shiny instruments, drilling, dentists in white uniforms and even contact with a ‘stranger’. With help from a parent/guardian, finding the source of the fear can allow you to adjust your approach. For instance, if the child is fearful of the instruments, the ‘Tell-Show-Do’ technique can demonstrate their harmlessness before being used. The technique effectively reduces the heart rate, sparking the encouragement the child needs to sit and receive treatment. Having a few toys and stickers on hand can also help increase the child’s comfort.
Another factor for dental anxiety could be experiencing sensitivity during a cleaning. Enquiring whether patients experience sensitivity can reduce their anxiety if relief options are then offered. This can involve applying topical pastes before cleaning to plug and seal any open dentinal tubules.
Tastefully done
Flavour can help make oral hygiene and treatments more agreeable for patients. We have seen how minty toothpaste is commonly used for its fresh taste, and makes brushing a more pleasant experience for those who like the flavour. Fifty per cent of adults reported that flavour influenced their choice of toothpaste. Flavour is a key factor in decision making for other oral hygiene products like mouthwash. From spicy or sour to sweet and fruity, dental health products now have expansive ranges to ensure that the patient’s taste preference is catered to.
More importantly, having an agreeable taste increases compliance with the product, with a sweet toothpaste increasing brushing times among children, for instance. For neurodivergent patients, particularly autistic individuals, sweet tastes are generally preferred over bitter flavours. Colour may also be a factor for what they would willingly try. For dental prophylaxis, sweet-flavoured options that are brightly coloured could increase compliance in neurodivergent and young patients.
Tasty treatment
For dental prophylaxis, comforting uncertain patients can be achieved with a flavoured paste. Kemdent’s range of prophylaxis pastes includes original, strawberry, bubble-gum and spearmint flavours, providing ample choice depending on a patient’s preference. Each paste has a specially designed viscosity that allows it to cling to the brush, whilst its unique formulation eliminates drink and food stains. Its thixotropic consistency makes it far more manageable for cleaning. Offering medium grit for normal use and heavy-duty grits for tougher stains, Kemdent’s range will help to provide care that meets the demands of each patient, polishing their teeth effectively.
By maintaining a calm atmosphere within your practice and tailoring treatment options to appeal to patient tastes, you can create a positive experience for those that feel anxious about a dental appointment. Having open conversations and boosting trust can leave the patient feeling positive that their oral health is in good hands.
References available on request.