Suppose you have to go to your dentist, dental surgeon or dental hygienist for a serious treatment and you feel anxious or stressed, are there any tips that can make that visit to the dentist or dental surgeon easier for you? Yes! You have influence before, during and after dental treatment! Tips to limit anxiety or stress and tips about pain and the use of painkillers. Tips about nutrition beforehand and nutrition afterwards; tips on information prior to treatment. Tips for information during and after the treatment. You are not a helpless victim. You are an assertive (!) patient, client, whether it concerns the dental hygienist, the dentist or the dental surgeon.

Tips before visiting a dentist or dental surgeon

Suppose you have to have a wisdom tooth extracted… Or: your dentist refers you to a dental surgeon because you have an infection under a tooth that already has a crown. It is very understandable that you are dreading this. It makes you tense or anxious. Some people are more sensitive to this than others, that is true. But no one thinks it’s funny. That is why it may be a good idea to carefully prepare for such a visit.

The fear dentist

For extremely anxious, nervous people, there are dentists and dental surgeons who specialize in guiding these people. If you are one of those highly stressed people, you can go to an “anxiety dentist.” Anxiety dentists have specialized in helping very nervous people. A number of oral surgeons also specialize in dealing with very tense people. You don’t have to be ashamed. These oral surgeons and dentists are there to help and guide you.

Information: ask the dentist or oral surgeon for information in advance.

• What has to happen? Why? Can complications arise? What are possible consequences (after-pain and/or bleeding) and how can you limit the nuisance of these consequences?
• Ask your questions in a timely manner.
• Ask your questions at a time when the dentist or, in the case of a dental surgeon, an assistant or counter employee has time for them

It could also be that all that information actually makes you anxious! For some people it is better to rush into something ‘blindly’. If you are such a person, then you do not inform yourself.

Medication use and treatment by oral surgeon or dentist

• Inform your dentist or dental surgeon in advance about your medication use. Blood thinners such as Ascal and/or a vasodilator such as Persantin worsen bleeding from a wound. This may be a reason for your dentist to suture the wound.
• With a dental surgeon, prior consultation may be necessary due to medication use, sometimes in collaboration with your GP and/or a specialist! So please indicate that you are taking medication when making an appointment with the dental surgeon. If you are taking blood thinners, you may need to reduce your medication before you can undergo surgery.
• Make a list of your medications (type and quantity) that you can hand over upon arrival.
• Remember to inform your regular dentist if you change your medication use. This applies not only to the type of medicines but also to the quantity.

Energy and your visit to the oral surgeon or dentist

• Try to go to your dentist or dental surgeon well rested
• Make sure you leave home on time
• Check in advance where you need to be
• Eat and drink enough before your treatment.

Relax!

Yes, easier said than done! But try one of these tips:

• Make sure you have been to the toilet beforehand so that you lie quietly in the treatment chair
• Plan in advance to think of something nice, something specific, for the practitioner
• Or come up with a ‘problem’ in advance that you can solve while lying in the treatment chair
• Think in advance of the relief you will feel when the treatment is finished or when the pain is gone
• Find out something in advance that can help you afterwards: a TV programme? A friend chatting to you?

Clear your agenda in advance

• If possible, make sure you have your hands free afterwards. Both physically and mentally.
• Or take care of chores that distract you but do not burden you.

Arrange support

See if someone can come with you if you would like. Someone can distract you with a chat and support you on the return journey, if you are very rickety. You may also need a driver.

Arrange a comfortable return journey

Make sure that you can travel quietly on the way back. You can possibly cycle there, but back?Is it walkable? Can someone bring you and/or pick you up with a car? Is there a bus? Need a taxi? Physical exertion stimulates blood flow and can temporarily increase bleeding.

Provide painkillers

• Get the right painkillers in time. You may be prescribed special painkillers, but you may also not be prescribed. Then it is nice if there is a painkiller available to take as soon as the anesthesia from the dentist or dental surgeon has almost worn off.
• In this case, do not use aspirin. Even if you find this a pleasant and good painkiller, aspirin thins your blood and that is not useful at the moment.
• A soluble painkiller is pleasant: you do not have to chew or swallow with difficulty: think, for example, of Witte Kruis Powders
• Stick to the prescribed dosage and drink enough water
• If you have severe after-pain, consult your dentist, dental surgeon or pharmacist
• Do not use painkillers containing caffeine at night.

Provide ice

An operation by a dentist or dental surgeon can result in a swollen, blue cheek.Ice cubes or frozen peas placed on a washcloth can limit swelling. Or place a wet washcloth in the refrigerator that you can place on your cheek. When you take out one washcloth , put the next one in, just in case the first washcloth is no longer cold.If the swelling is so severe that you can (almost) no longer eat, the pharmacist has special, wide straws with which you can suck up yogurt or applesauce, for example .

To eat

Get liquid and soft food in advance, for when you can eat and drink again. This also prevents crumbs from getting into the wound. For example, think of:

• Yogurt or custard
• Soft cheese
• Apple sauce
• Rhubarb sauce
• stewed pears
• Banana.

Remove it from the refrigerator in time so that you do not have to eat it ice cold.

During the visit to the dentist or oral surgeon

• Provide the (updated) medication list
• If necessary, ask a final question
• Listen carefully to the information you receive
• Please let us know if you are very nervous in advance
• Warn in a timely manner (possibly with a hand gesture) if you are not doing well during the treatment
• Try to consciously relax using what you have thought about beforehand
• After the treatment, listen to the advice you receive
• If any other question has occurred to you about possible consequences, ask it now
• If you haven’t already, ask what you can do in an emergency
• If you are given a prescription for painkillers, get the painkillers before the anesthesia wears off or have them taken for you.

After the treatment by dental surgeon or dentist

• If you have prepared well, you already know what you can do
• Give yourself time
• Find distraction
• Take painkillers as prescribed, in a timely manner: before the pain has flared up again
• Go to bed on time and at a time when the pain is under control
• If you have any questions or doubts about the consequences of the treatment, you can always call for advice or consultation
• If necessary, return to your practitioner after telephone consultation.

Conclusion

With the right preparation and with a planned attitude during treatment, you can make a visit to an oral surgeon or dentist more manageable, less exciting and the consequences more bearable!