If the thought of a dental appointment makes your stomach drop, you are far from alone. The Oral Health Foundation describes nervousness about the dentist as very common, ranging from mild unease to a strong phobia.
Avoiding the dentist can let small problems become bigger ones, so it is worth finding an approach that works for you. Dental teams are used to helping nervous patients, and you are allowed to go at your own pace.
Why people feel anxious
Common triggers the Oral Health Foundation lists include the sound of the drill, smells in the surgery, fear of needles, lying back in the chair, feeling claustrophobic, a bad past experience, and simply not having been for a long time and worrying about what might be found.
Taking the first step
- Visit the practice before you book, have a look round and ask the receptionist questions.
- When you book, say that you feel anxious – the practice may be able to book you with a dentist who is experienced with nervous patients.
- If you have not been for a while, the first appointment may just be a check-up; you will be told what treatment is needed and what it costs, and you can decide what to do next.
- Bring a friend or family member – the Oral Health Foundation says they can stay with you if you wish.
Staying in control during an appointment
The NHS says you can tell your dental professional you are anxious and ask them to stop or take a break at any time during a check-up.
- Agree a stop signal – such as raising a hand – before you start.
- Try slow breathing or other relaxation techniques.
- Take headphones and listen to music to mask noises that bother you.
- Ask the dental nurse to talk to you or sit with you.
If you're afraid of needles
Tell your dentist. They can apply a numbing gel to the gum before an injection, which the Oral Health Foundation says helps you feel little or nothing from it.
Sedation and extra help
If your fear is severe and other approaches have not worked, you can ask about being referred to a sedation clinic. NHS inform describes two main types: inhalation sedation, breathed in through a nosepiece, and intravenous sedation, given by injection into the hand or arm. With IV sedation you stay awake, but it helps you feel calm and you may not remember the procedure. Your dentist or doctor may also be able to prescribe medicine to help you relax.
It usually gets easier
The Oral Health Foundation says many people find their fear improves with regular visits, as they get used to the surroundings and build trust with their dental team.
Common questions
Will the dentist judge me for not going for years?
Dental teams see people returning after long gaps regularly, and are trained to help nervous patients. Telling them how you feel helps them support you.
Can I be put to sleep for dental treatment?
Sedation used in dental clinics usually keeps you awake but relaxed. Intravenous sedation is not designed to put you to sleep, though you may not remember the treatment afterwards. Ask your dentist about what is available locally.
Can I stop treatment if I panic?
Yes. The NHS says you can ask to stop or take a break at any time. Agreeing a signal beforehand makes this easier.
Does dental treatment hurt?
NHS inform says it is possible for treatment to cause no pain at all: numbing gels can be used before injections, and modern injections are designed to cause little or no pain.
Sources we used
- Oral Health Foundation: Managing dental anxiety
- NHS inform: Coping with a fear of the dentist
- NHS: What happens when you visit an NHS dentist
Checked September 2026. Guidance changes, so always follow the advice of your own dental team. About our sources.