Episode 2 - Dental Anxiety

Pete and Jodie are joined by Gregor, Associate Dentist at Andrew Scott Dental Care, with a particular interest in patient-focused, pain-free dental care, and patient Linda for an honest conversation about dental anxiety.

From fear of treatment and worrying about pain, to the embarrassment of putting appointments off for years, they explore why so many people feel nervous about visiting the dentist and what can be done to make the experience easier.

Linda shares her own story and explains how her feelings about dental visits have changed over time, while Gregor discusses the importance of helping patients feel comfortable, reassured and in control throughout their dental journey.

Plus, in Tooth Be Told, we hear some of the memorable moments that remind us dentistry is all about people.

If you've ever felt nervous about sitting in the dental chair, this episode is for you.

Transcript

SPEAKER_03 0:00

Welcome back to More Than a Smile from Andrew Scott Dental Care. I'm Pete, and I'm going to be asking all the questions that we're all thinking, but we don't always ask.

SPEAKER_00 0:10

And I'm Jodie, and I'm here to guide us through it all.

SPEAKER_03 0:13

So today we're talking about something I think a huge number of people will relate to: dental anxiety. And honestly, I totally get it. I've definitely built things up in my head before. Things like extractions, root canals, even just sitting in the waiting room. But what's interesting is once I've actually been there, it's usually nowhere near as bad as I've imagined. So today we're going to talk honestly about where dental anxiety comes from, why people put things off and what actually might help.

SPEAKER_00 0:44

Joining us today, we've got Gregor, associate dentist from Andrew Scott Dental Care, and Linda, who is one of our patients. Welcome both to the podcast. Gregor, you've got a real interest in patient-focused, pain-free dental care. So this feels like a really important conversation for you.

SPEAKER_02 1:00

Thanks for asking me along.

SPEAKER_00 1:01

And Linda, thank you so much for joining us as well. Because I think hearing a real patient perspective will help a lot of people listening.

SPEAKER_03 1:08

And that's the important thing today. We're actually going to help a lot of people that probably have the same fears, Linda, as you might have had. So, Gregor, firstly, before we even get into dental anxiety, where did that interest in patient-focused care come from for you?

SPEAKER_02 1:24

I suppose I just like talking to people, understanding their problems, and then working with them to, you know, come up with a solution to help them have the smile that they want to have.

SPEAKER_03 1:34

Okay. And what made that sign of dentistry important to you? Well, I'm very empathetic.

SPEAKER_02 1:41

So I feel that, you know, under well, every patient should be treated the same. You know, you should provide them with the highest level of health care that you can. And especially people that are anxious, they maybe need a little bit more time taken. And I think that, you know, working at Andrew Scott Dental Care, I have that opportunity to spend uh time and help people as much as I can.

SPEAKER_03 2:02

Okay. So you're not looking at the clock thinking I just need to get this done to get the next person on the chair. You feel that it's perhaps the luxury of time in some cases?

SPEAKER_02 2:11

I think time is the most important thing. I mean, back in the day you used to, you know, know who your doctor was or your dentist was. You used to see them all the time. And you know, the climate of dentistry has maybe changed a little bit. Uh and I, you know, I feel that having that rapport with somebody, having trust with them is very important. And um, you know, I mean, most of my patients, like Linda, who's in today, she's phoned me up before, we've had chats about things. Um, and you know, as a dentist, I can only take care of so many patients, and I want those patients to like me, and I want to like those patients, and just build up a strong relationship so we can take a holistic uh care of their health.

SPEAKER_03 2:51

Okay. And Linda, that must be so we're going to come to you shortly, but that must be so reassuring that you could just pick up the phone and have a conversation with your dentist. That's probably not that common these days to be able to do that.

SPEAKER_01 3:00

Absolutely. Um it it's helped massively to just know there's somebody at the end of the phone if a if a need or have a question. Okay. Um which thankfully because everything was very well discussed at the time. I I never really needed to do that. But on the occasions that Gregor has phoned me at home, it's been very welcome.

SPEAKER_03 3:19

That's good to know. We're gonna hear a little bit more from you very soon. Uh Gregor, when do you first notice when someone walks in and they might be a little bit nervous?

SPEAKER_02 3:28

Body language is probably the most obvious sign that I would see, but more people suffer from dental anxiety than don't. You know, almost everybody's heart rate's gonna be elevated when they go into the dental practice. So, you know, I I try and treat everybody the same and take them through the same steps whether they're anxious or not.

SPEAKER_03 3:45

Aaron Ross Powell And is there a moment where you can see a patient just start to relax a little bit?

SPEAKER_02 3:50

Yes, it's different for everybody. I mean you have people who suffer from severe anxiety, and you know the truth is they're never gonna be fully relaxed at the dentist. But my job is to, you know, try and turn it into as nice an experience, as fun an experience as it possibly can be. Right.

SPEAKER_00 4:06

Yeah, you can usually tell quite quickly when someone's anxious, because often they tell you. Um, but you're definitely right, the body language and um a lot of people can become quite upset as well. Um so it's just about working through that very gently and slowly with them.

SPEAKER_03 4:22

And with Andrew Scott dental care, I mean the minute you walk into the practice, it's got a lovely calming atmosphere, isn't it?

SPEAKER_00 4:30

Yes. We're so so lucky. Even just the sort of like physical environment that we work in and patients can come into is so beautiful and calming. But I think the reception staff as well have such an important role. Yeah, they're so lovely.

SPEAKER_03 4:44

100%.

SPEAKER_00 4:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 4:46

It doesn't feel like a waiting room. You're not kind of listening to the sounds of drills or kind of dental equipment working. You it just seems like a nice calming area. All right then. Linda, let's um let's come to you now. Take us back a little bit. What was your relationship with going to the dentist like before before coming to Andrew Scott Dental?

SPEAKER_01 5:07

It was a situation that I would have avoided at all cost. If I didn't get a call from the dentist to to remind me it was my sixth month checkup, I would just avoid it. I would put it off, put it off, put it off. But that sort of recently, but prior to that, I just it just filled me with so much anxiety. I just I I couldn't bring myself to pick up the phone and make that appointment. So I always relied either on somebody else to do it, uh, or I just didn't go.

SPEAKER_03 5:40

And as Gregor said, it's not uncommon for people to to have that level of anxiety. So you're definitely not alone, and there'll be a lot of people listening to this that that will agree and will kind of relate relate to you. What what made you nervous specifically? What what was it? What what was going through your mind? What scared you?

SPEAKER_01 5:57

Aaron Ross Powell The environment more so than anything. Having a dentist that wouldn't listen, having a just being told just sit, don't move, stay still, no conversation.

SPEAKER_03 6:15

Did you have bad experiences then, maybe as a kid or in? Right, okay. What were they like?

SPEAKER_01 6:21

Horrific. Brutal. From a very early age. I believe I got my very first baby teeth out when I was two years old. I remember nothing about that. Okay. Um and my adult teeth didn't come back until I was seven. And as they did, I was just plagued with problems from that day on. And I was taken from one dentist to another. We moved around a lot as a family. I was taken from one dentist to another who each one was just as horrendous as the last.

SPEAKER_03 6:57

I mean that sounds traumatic for an adult, let alone a girl who would have been seven at the time. And you said that you've you would postpone appointments or you would put things off. Did that go on for a long time? Years. Okay. Years. And what finally changed? Because you've told us prior to coming on the podcast, you said that you no longer have an anxiety. What what was that moment? Where where did things turn around? What what was it for you that kind of makes you now feel a lot better and happier going to see a dentist?

SPEAKER_01 7:27

Well, the moment happened with the dentist I was seeing prior to Gregor.

SPEAKER_03 7:30

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 7:31

Um I had had a bad fall and I luckily just knocked out one tooth, but I felt like they had all moved, and he said to me that the work that I needed done through not only the fall but years of neglect was more work than he could take on. And he referred me to Andrew Scott. So the choice, if you like, was taken out of my hands. Okay. So he made the appointment, he contacted them and referred me. So if I'd been left to do it, I would have probably never got there.

SPEAKER_03 8:08

So it was done for you. And you think the clouds aligned at that point?

SPEAKER_01 8:11

They did. They did. They absolutely did. I was terrified the day I walked in. I saw another dentist prior to Gregor first. I was very, very nervous at that consultation. And I was referred, thankfully, on to Gregor from there from the consultation.

SPEAKER_03 8:28

There you go. So Gregor was your savior then.

SPEAKER_01 8:30

He absolutely is. If I could bottle him, I would take him home and do it.

SPEAKER_03 8:33

Oh, there we go. Look at that. I mean that's that's great, the difference that you're able to make to help a very nervous patient. Because people will no doubt have the level of anxiety where they're having sleepless nights, they're thinking about it, they're building things up to s to be so bad. That must be quite rewarding.

SPEAKER_02 8:51

Yeah, I think anxious patients are my favorite patients to work with. You know, um Jodie mentioned sometimes they come in in tears, and then you know, sometimes at the end of the treatment we get tears of happiness and hugs. And uh yeah, I mean in a selfish way it makes me feel nice. Okay.

SPEAKER_03 9:07

Well, I th I think it's it's good to feel nice because you've done such a good thing for someone. I think a lot of people listening will recognize that feeling of building things up in your head before an appointment. And I guess so to you both Gregor and Jody, what are the things that people tend to be most anxious about? Because I certainly know the the things that I get scared about when it comes to dentistry. What what do you find?

SPEAKER_00 9:29

It's a very vulnerable thing to put yourself through. So you're going into a room with someone that you've never met before, and you're lying down and you're they're in and about your mouth. And I think that's first of all a very vulnerable um position to be in. Um secondly, I think people are nervous of pain and discomfort and just a feeling of of not being in control or in charge of what's going on. Um so and I think bad experiences as well in the past definitely contribute to that.

SPEAKER_02 10:00

Yeah, it's the kind of feeling of the unknown. And you know, like Linda said, dentists telling them sit down, don't move, not explaining things to them. You know, uh dealing with anxious patients, the the main thing that helps is just talking to them, understanding their problems, and then going through what you can do to help.

SPEAKER_03 10:19

I think there's also a a a huge thing around how embarrassing it might be for patients as well. People are worrying that you know they've maybe left it too long or that they're gonna be judged by their dentist. What would you say to people when they come in that are maybe feeling a little bit like that?

SPEAKER_02 10:36

Anything you know, when people come in with problems, anything that I see in their mouth I'm gonna have seen before. I studied in Glasgow, which is a great place to learn to be a dentist, because there are lots of people who have bad teeth. Okay. Um, you know, down there, maybe 50% of my patients didn't have any teeth. So if you come in and you've got one tooth, you're beating 50% of them already straight off the bat. So um yeah.

SPEAKER_03 11:01

So you're never the first person to come in with a certain fear. And and Linda, what what about you then? Did you have did you find it embarrassing when you went to the dentists if you were nervous?

SPEAKER_01 11:11

Very much. Very much. I was always concerned. I just prayed and hoped for sort of one little job to be done, which was never the case. Um there was always multiple jobs um needing doing. But yeah, definitely embarrassed about the state I had let my teeth get into.

SPEAKER_03 11:29

Did you ever feel though, just to go back to that anxiety, and this might help people who are listening who who are in a sim who are in a similar position to you were, did you ever feel different from, you know, when you were on the chair, you've had the treatment, did you ever think it wasn't as bad as I thought?

SPEAKER_01 11:45

Uh absolutely. Probably not when I was younger and a child. Yeah. I probably never thought that. I wished I would never be back again. But um definitely since coming to Andrew Scott, coming to Gregor and Jodie, that's that's disappeared altogether. Okay. It's been a pleasure.

SPEAKER_03 12:02

Okay. Well, there we go. You look forward to going to the dentist now. Yeah. Love that. I had a root canal recently, and being honest, if you'd asked me about it beforehand, I probably would have said it was one of the things that I dreaded most. But it was weird because when I was actually there, I kind of felt quite relaxed and almost felt like I was going to fall asleep at one point. Is this something, Gregor, that you maybe see a lot that people expect the experience to be so much worse than than what it actually is? All the time.

SPEAKER_02 12:31

Yeah. Every day I have people saying the same kind of thing. But again, it's just this fear of the unknown and it's re refocusing things in their brain. I'm not the problem, I'm not the one that's going to cause them pain. I'm the solution. I'm here to help you. Um and you know, as a dentist, I just want you to have a a nice, healthy mouth and be able to smile.

SPEAKER_03 12:52

Aaron Ross Powell And I think it is the fear of the unknown. You've kind of spoken about communication, and and I know when I've been nervous and a dentist has said, right, here's what's going to happen. Here's what do you deal with nervous patients in a different way? How do you communicate to them?

SPEAKER_02 13:07

Well, initially we establish what the problem is, and then we talk about the ways that we can help. So, you know, if you needed a filling, for example, we would do acclimatization. So I would show you everything that we're going to do at the filling appointment, at the appointment before. That way there's no you know nothing unexpected. Um and also making sure that the patient understands that they're the person that's in control. And my job is to gently guide them through it. So, you know, as an anxious patient, they generally don't want treatment, but they know that they have to have it. Yeah. So, you know, some people need to be pushed gently in the right direction, other people need a bit more encouragement. And you know, the hardest part of my job is maybe figuring out exactly the way to to help somebody. And by having them come back a few times, you know, we we can work together to establish the boundaries and and how best to get them to where they want to be.

SPEAKER_03 14:03

Okay. And it's about giving that person the control. Yes. So they feel they're more in control, they're in the know, they know what's going to happen, they've acknowledged it, they've agreed to it, and then maybe they kind of start to feel a little bit more relaxed?

SPEAKER_02 14:15

Aaron Ross Powell Yes. I mean I can't do anything without somebody's consent. So um it's one of the most important things that you can do with anxious patients is let them understand that they're in control and I'm just there to help.

SPEAKER_03 14:27

Okay. What are some of the tools that people might get scared about? You hear a lot of noises and dru w what are these? Are they easy to explain?

SPEAKER_02 14:36

Yeah, so um I mean I suppose the the main one is we've got an instrument called a slow speed, and it's the one that feels really rattly. But that instrument actually doesn't do very much. It's got a certain torque, so when it touches decayed tooth, which is soft, it will remove it, and then when it touches the good tooth, it'll just bounce off it. So technically the more it's rattling, the less it's doing. And I usually show people that instrument and I'll hold it up against my glove and it won't even cut it. So, you know, it's just making them understand why we're doing things and what to expect when when we do them.

SPEAKER_03 15:12

Yeah, thank you for explaining that. Because I think that's probably going to resonate with a lot of people as well. And the fact that you can also do that little demonstration on your glove probably puts a lot of people at at ease because these things sound so much louder as well when they're in your mouth, don't they? 100%. Yeah. Okay, let's talk about the first appointment then. I think some people listening might assume that booking an appointment immediately means treatment. What might a first visit look like for someone who's anxious? Jodie, I wonder if you've got any thoughts here?

SPEAKER_00 15:41

So a first visit for someone who's anxious is very, very bespoke and dependent on that individual. So for some patients, that might be just taking things a wee bit more slowly and explaining the equipment, explaining all the things that Greg has discussed about, you know, the patient being in control and just g having a chat. Some people we can clean one tooth. In my in my role anyway, as a hygienist, uh, we can just do one tooth and see how it feels, focus on oral hygiene instruction and toothbrushing and just building rapport. Um, but it's very, very dependent on the person and we meet that person where they are and where they need to be met on that day.

SPEAKER_03 16:24

So that first appointment, just to be really clear about this for anyone who is listening, they live in Aberdeen. They're terrified of you dentists, but they need to get some work done. Can that first appointment just be a chat without anything happening?

SPEAKER_00 16:37

Absolutely. Um we've got no problem with doing that. We're we're glad to do that. Even if it's just to sort of get used to the environment and see if you click with a certain clinician, that's no problem at all. We're very happy to accommodate that.

SPEAKER_03 16:51

I think I would find that very reassuring. Linda, as someone who's been nervous, would that put you at ease, do you think, knowing that because I guess sometimes, especially if it's a tooth, if it's an extraction, or if you think something's going to happen, you've a feeling's came out, it's good to know that you're not maybe going straight into it.

SPEAKER_01 17:09

Yeah, definitely. Um I mean in this instance, uh visiting Andrew Scott, I've been visiting them now for two two whole years of treatment. So I've had every single thing done, I think, from one side to the other, and in between. Um and uh I've experienced everything from root canals to extractions to multiple injections to everything. And uh it's it's just been all good. It's just been fine. Everything fully explained and gently explained, I think patiently explained. That was the big issue. I could ask any so many questions if I needed to.

SPEAKER_03 17:47

Trevor Burrus, Jr.: So you know you're in safe hands, you know you're you're you've got full trust. I think we should talk about extractions because I think that's another one that people are probably terrified. I've had a couple of extractions, and I definitely, definitely thought the worst, because there's a whole bunch of stuff you start thinking about. What if it doesn't come out, or what if the tooth snaps during the process? Is there anything you can say that that might help? I mean, I to be fair, two of them that I've had, they were fine. And I just felt a lot of pressure. But what would you say to someone that's nervous specifically about an extraction?

SPEAKER_02 18:19

Well, I suppose you know we go right back to the beginning. The main thing is trying to get patients who are anxious to go with prevention so that we're not taking teeth out. Yeah. And the easiest way for me to treat an anxious patient is to not have to do anything to them. There's a kind of spectrum of things. So if you were anxious and you needed, say, a filling and an extraction, we'd start with a filling, you know, a small one first of all. Uh, and you know, then you get used to the anesthetic, and then we'd try and build up to maybe the extraction being the last thing that we do. Obviously that can be impacted if you're in pain, then we might deal with it sooner. Taking a tooth out, uh you would be fully numbed up. And I I've got a big TV in my surgery. I would show you a picture of the the tooth uh on an X-ray and explain the process to you.

SPEAKER_03 19:03

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 19:03

Um you know uh nobody likes having a a tooth taken out. I mean, usually I don't even refer to it as an extraction, I would say that the tooth go into the tooth fairy, just to make it sound a little bit nicer. Okay. A tooth's held in place with loads of little fibres, and basically we take a little instrument down around the fibers, separate them, and then at that point the tooth becomes a little bit mobile and we take it out. There's none of this neon chest rubbish or anything like that.

SPEAKER_03 19:28

Okay, that is good to know.

SPEAKER_02 19:30

Yeah. So it's just uh we try and take out as atraumatically as possible to preserve bone. And you know, we're in a very fortunate position that with anxious patients, if they're really, really anxious and they don't think they could cope with having uh a tooth taken out with what's local anesthetics or the injection, um, we do have uh a lady, Becky Lee, who does sedation in our clinic, and uh she's brilliant at taking teeth out. So we do have this kind of secondary level that we can go to if we need to. Okay. Um and you know, uh anxious patients that can be a really useful tool.

SPEAKER_03 20:05

That's good that's probably very reassuring for some patients to know that they do have that as an option.

SPEAKER_02 20:10

Yes, definitely. Definitely. But like I said, the uh the one thing that I'd like to talk about again is just that prevention side of things. Uh I work really closely with Jody. Um if somebody comes in who's really anxious sees me, I would quite often get Jodie just to come into the room to introduce herself. Because if we can get them coming and seeing me twice a year for checkups, seeing Jodi two or four times a year, and they brush their teeth properly and they floss. That's the the golden syrup to making sure that you don't need any dental treatment. And that's the easiest way to handle anybody that's anxious.

SPEAKER_03 20:45

Okay. And Jodie?

SPEAKER_00 20:47

Yeah. Uh so rewarding to um uh see patients come from being terrified to uh actually coming in and uh uh enjoying it, dare I say. No, maybe not enjoying it, but just you're you're just quite happy to come in now.

SPEAKER_01 21:05

Absolutely. Uh and and I still speak to I mean I'm I'm still full of it right now because m my my end product is still so new and I'm thoroughly enjoying letting everybody know about it. Um but uh you know and and I've got a close friend and sh she just she just she almost faints at the hygienist. Okay. She f she faints. And she actually lives close by and I've suggested you know come to Andrew Scott. They'll they'll sort you out, they'll do it. Um but so far as yet I don't think she has.

SPEAKER_03 21:44

What advice would you share with anyone who you know you've now overcome your fear of dentists? What advice would you give to someone that is you know does have a lot of anxiety around it?

SPEAKER_01 21:55

Well n probably not knowing their personal circumstances and their relationship. With their dentist. But definitely this is a dentist establishment that I have never known in my life to have these people. And it's just been great. It's just been life-saving, actually.

SPEAKER_03 22:22

There we go. Yeah. That's so good to hear. And it also probably gives a lot of people hope that are very nervous about things. Okay. So before we move on, I guess just to you both, uh Jody Gregor, if someone is listening right now and they are thinking that is exactly me. I've got a huge phobia. What would be a really manageable first step for them? Just phone the practice, get in touch with us.

SPEAKER_02 22:45

So I'm just gonna Yeah, if you if you just reach out to us, contact the practice. Uh if you don't feel that you're kind of at a stage where you can come into the practice, I'm more than happy to give you a call back. Um But you know, with anxious patients, you need to be ready. Um, you know, and by that I mean just at a point where you can come in and meet us. Um that's probably one of the biggest steps uh and it's probably the hardest step. And you know that uh that's up to you. I can't help with that bit. But if you're willing to make that step, then you know we myself and my team, we can help you to get to where you want to be.

SPEAKER_03 23:27

Okay. All right, let's move into the tooth-be-told segment of the podcast. This is where we want to get a little bit of a peek into what actually goes on day-to-day. Here are some of those standouts or funny or unusual moments. Gregor, what would you like to share? What have you got for us?

SPEAKER_02 23:47

Uh well, I once managed to make a patient's tooth come out without touching them. What? Yeah. I'm probably one of the few dentists can uh can claim well that's their claim of fame. Uh I had a patient come in for a new patient exam. He had really bad gums, all his teeth were wobbling about. Uh we got into a phase where he was ready to come in for an extraction of one of his upper front teeth. Right. Uh I usually have to consent people. Well, I always have to consent people when they come in for treatment. And as he was sitting in the chair and I was talking to him, his upper front tooth fell out. So that's my claim to fame. There we go.

SPEAKER_03 24:25

You just have to be near people and the magic happens.

SPEAKER_00 24:29

Talented man. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 24:31

I honestly don't know how we're going to beat this one for the rest of the podcast. But that was today's Tooth Be Told. All right. Moving on then. I think it's time for a little bit of quick fire. So no overthinking. Jody, you've got some quick fire questions for Gregor. On you go.

SPEAKER_00 24:48

Okay. So, Gregor, how common is dental anxiety?

SPEAKER_02 24:52

Uh 53% of people suffer from dental anxiety, so it's more common to be anxious of the dentist than not. Wow, that's a good stat.

SPEAKER_00 25:01

And what's one thing people worry about that they really don't need to?

SPEAKER_02 25:06

Pain. I didn't get into dentistry to hurt anybody. Sounds a bit cheesy. I just got into dentistry to make people smile.

SPEAKER_00 25:13

Yeah. He's a softy. There we go. And what actually helps calm nerves before an appointment?

SPEAKER_02 25:21

Just knowing that when you come in, we're gonna have a chat. If you feel after that chat you're ready to move on to something else, great. If not, don't get worried about it. Just come back and we'll try again.

SPEAKER_03 25:33

Let's do one more, Jody.

SPEAKER_00 25:34

Okay. Um what's one thing people can do today if they've been putting it off?

SPEAKER_02 25:39

Just get in touch and book an appointment. Take the step.

SPEAKER_03 25:42

There we go. It's as simple as that. Okay then. So we are just about out of time. For me, I think the biggest thing today is just how normal this actually is. A lot of people are carrying these fears around, but the reality is often completely different to what they've built up in their head. And hearing experiences like yours, Linda, today, probably helps people realize that they're not alone in feeling this way. So if you've been listening and thinking this sounds a bit like you, and maybe you've been putting things off.

SPEAKER_00 26:16

The team at Andrewscott Dental Care, always happy to have a conversation. No pressure, it's just a starting point. Visit andrew scottdental.co.uk.

SPEAKER_03 26:25

There we go. Well, that is it for today. Thank you, Gregor, and thank you again, Linda. Next time we're talking about oh, wait a minute. So next time we are talking about smile makeovers. That's next time. We will catch you then. Thanks, everybody. Bye. Bye. Bye.