Dental phobia

A phobia is normally defined as a "persistent, irrational fear of a specific object, activity, or situation that leads to a compelling desire to avoid it". When you have a phobia exposure to the object or situation that you fear prompts an immediate anxiety response and in some cases can lead to physical symptoms such as palpitations and panic attacks. Phobias can cause a lot of stress and can impact on other areas of a persons life. Dental phobics are no different and spend a lot of time thinking about their teeth, dentists or dental situations.

Dental phobia is a serious issue which affects a large amount of the population and can mean people avoid visiting the dentist even when they may be experiencing severe dental problems. Many people with dental phobia are so afraid of visiting a dentist that their oral health declines and this can lead to serious problems. One of the most common problems among those with a phobia of dentists is problems occurring with their gums such as infection and gum disease. It's highly important that you have regular check ups with your dentist so they can diagnose and monitor problems before they get any worse and in some cases the damage becomes irreversible. Fortunately, advances in dental technology mean there's more methods than ever before to help you overcome your fears and make your dental experience as comfortable as possible.

Why are people afraid of the dentist?

There's a wide range of reasons why people may experience anxiety toward dental visits, it could be that they have had a bad experience earlier in life which has put them off or it could be something as simple as the 'clinical' smell of the dental surgery. Some patients find themselves embarrassed about the condition of their teeth or their oral health and fear what the dentist will say to them or what treatment will be necessary to correct their problems. Others have a fear of the tools used during dentistry, some patients experience a 'gag reflex' when dental instruments or have difficulty breathing. If you're experiencing this sort of anxiety it's important to realise you're not alone and many people all around the world suffer from similar phobias.

There's also the possibility that there's a number of reasons for your dental phobia but as with all phobias the first stage in overcoming the phobia is to recognise it and want to do something about it. Additionally your dentist will try and help you overcome your fears in several different ways. Firstly, it's important to have a full explanation of what the procedure will be for your treatment, simply understanding the steps involved or having the opportunity to pose your dentist questions about the treatment can sometimes relieve the fear of the unknown. It's also important that you talk to your dentist about your fears or concerns openly, if you feel that the staff or dentist don't have any sympathy for your concerns then seek out a dentist that does!

Many dentist now employ distraction or relaxation techniques like hypnotherapy, music, DVD goggles or aromatherapy massage in order to help fearful or anxious patients. Similarly, new advances in dental technology mean that dentists no longer have to apply local anaesthetics through conventional methods. Your dentist can choose to use a gel which will numb the gums before injecting the local anaesthetic. Or if the use of needles are amongst your concerns, some dentists now employ a device called 'The Wand' which can deliver a local anaesthetic in conjunction with a computer and doesn't look like a needle. If you require some sedatives may be used to place you into a relaxed state but this usually reserved for only the most anxious of patients.