Dental Fear: 3 Things You Should Know If You Suffer From It

Dentist Articles

If the thought of going to the dentist instantly makes you feel nervous, anxious, or scared, you probably have a condition that many other people also have — dental fear. Dental fear is quite common and can be caused by a number of different things, but you should not let it stop you from providing your teeth with the proper care and treatment they need. If you have been avoiding the dentist because of this, here are three things you should know.

What Causes Dental Fear?

Dental fear is often labeled as dental phobia — a condition that causes a great amount of anxiety from just thinking about dental work. Dental fear is something that occurs for many reasons, including:

• Preconceived notions – Some people are scared of dental work just from things they have heard. They may have heard other people talking about negative experiences, or they may have known people who have gone through traumatic dental services.
• Pain – One of the main reasons people have dental fear is due to the pain involved with dental procedures. People are often scared of the needle used for administering numbing medication, or they might be afraid to deal with the pain after a procedure is completed.
• Sounds – A lot of people also have dental fears from the sounds they've witnessed while at a dental office. The most common sound that might scare people is the sound made by a dental drill.
• Choking, gagging, or not being able to breathe – For some people, it can be hard for them to breathe while a dentist is working inside their mouth. This can lead to fears of going back.
• Bad experiences – If you've ever had a horrible experience during a dental procedure, it might have scared you enough that you never want to go back.
• Costs – There are also people who have dental fear due to the costs of the procedures. They may avoid dental visits simply for this reason alone.

These are some of the causes of dental fear, but there are also many others.

How Prevalent Is This Fear?

Dental fear is relatively common for people of all ages. For some people the fear is minor and does not stop them from visiting the dentist, but other people have fear that is so bad they will do anything they can to avoid going.

It's hard to say how many people actually have this fear, but according to Colgate, roughly 9% to 15% of Americans suffer from it to the point they do not go to the dentist. These percentages do not even include people that have fears but still visit their dentists regularly.

What Can Be Done To Overcome It?

One of the best ways to overcome dental fear is to force yourself to go to the dentist, even if it is just for a dental cleaning. Each visit you have may help you lose some of the fear and anxiety you have, and eventually you might not have this fear.

By doing this, you may also realize that dental procedures are not as bad today as they may have been 10 or 20 years ago. Through advances in the dental field, a lot of procedures are faster and less painful today than they used to be.

If you are extremely fearful of the dentist, you might benefit by seeking help from a psychiatrist or hypnotist. Hypnotherapy is something that people use to break habits or to change thinking patterns.

Failing to go to the dentist for any reason is not a good idea. This can lead to problems with your teeth and gums, and you can prevent these issues by overcoming your fears. To learn more or to make an appointment, contact a dentist today.

25 June 2015