Fear of the dentist? Fear not!

For some of us, it’s been many years since we’ve scheduled a dentist appointment.

We might think of sitting in the chair, the sound of the drill, and the sharp-edged memories of the mobile dentists from childhood with their rough hands; vivid memories we’ve tried – and failed – to forget.

Dr Wessam Atteya, who’s now the principal dentist at Pinnacle Dental Docklands, was once a victim himself of dental fear. At the age of six, he had an infected tooth, and his dentist at the time decided it needed to be pulled out.

The dentist forcibly opened Dr Atteya’s mouth and, without warning, “yanked” his tooth out, and to his surprise, his mother was restraining him for the dentist.

But it seems this traumatic experience didn’t break Dr Atteya; it instead inspired him to become an outstanding dentist who has since become the go-to dentist for many anxious patients, including children.

Research indicates that high dental fear affects approximately one in six Australian adults and about one in 10 children.

Among some sub-groups of the population, such as middle-aged women, the prevalence can be as high as one in three individuals.

Dr Wessam Atteya started Pinnacle Dental with one thing in mind: a dentist visit should be a positive experience.

Pinnacle Dental offers some strategies to overcome your dental anxiety:

Start the conversation and put yourself in control;

Rest easy; you have options;

Play your favourite show or music during treatment;

Happy gas sedation;

Digital drug-free sedation (virtual reality); and

Premedication using relaxants when needed.

Remember that one day, the pain of a decaying tooth will force you to take the step of finally coming to the dentist, and by then, it may be too late for routine dental care.

Pinnacle Dental is located at level four, 100 Harbour Esplanade (on the Marvel Stadium Concourse).

For more information or to book an appointment call 9052 4422, email [email protected] or visit pinnacledental.com.au