Nobody necessarily likes going to the dentist, but for some people, just the Thought of an upcoming dental visit can trigger many mixed unpleasant Feelings such as anxiety and sleeplessness. These people are commonly known To suffer from dental phobia, which is generally the term used to define a Fear of dentists and dental work.
Deriving from the greek word ‘phóbos’, the term Translates to mean an extreme or irrational fear Of, or aversion to something. This kind of fear is Often exaggerated and disabling, and the sufferer Will try to avoid it by any means possible.
According to the british dental association, Around 25% of the british population suffers from some sort of anxiety before visiting the dentist, And around 12% of us suffer from extreme dental Anxiety and fear.
Dental phobia comes in many forms, but to name A few, there’s the fear of the needle, fear of the pain associated with treatment, fear of the drill, Fear of feeling powerless and/or fear of choking.
Patients can experience one or more of these Feelings and in many cases, this leads to the client missing their appointment or becoming severely distressed during their visit. Sometimes, Intense fear may make it near impossible for the Dentist to fulfill the treatment.
However, where do these phobias originate from? There is no solid answer here, as these feelings vary from person to person, but for many patients It’s often related to a previous bad experience.
While some patients have not had bad Experiences themselves, they may of heard horror stories from others. Many patients nowadays are Using internet-based message boards, blogs and social networking sites to keep in touch, which ultimately can lead to false rumours surrounding certain treatments.
Also, parents who themselves are very frightened of certain treatments, can enforce that fear on their children when bringing them in for checkups or treatments.
So how do you overcome these problems? Every Dentist has their own way of treating patients, But our theory is that faultless communication And preparation is vital when treating patients With dental phobia.
The patient should tell their dentist exactly how They feel and what fears they have. If they’ve had a bad experience previously, they need to be More specific and relay which aspect of the treatment they found most difficult. The dentist Must listen thoroughly and do their best to try to avoid and overcome those problems, in order to Put the patient at ease.
We will always do our utmost to explain the Treatment systematically; this includes what is going to happen and what instruments and Materials we are going to use. We also make Sure that the patient has the option to stop the Treatment at any time.
After the initial consultation, a patient’s comfort In the dental chair is a very important factor. Many patients like to listen to music to drown out the Sound of the dental drill. In some surgeries there are even tv screens placed on the ceiling as a Means to distract their mind.
Most importantly, a patient with dental phobia Should have frequent checkups to avoid extended treatments such as root canal or extractions.
It is very important to find a dentist that you can Build a good relationship with and whom you can trust.
With today’s vast improvements in technology, There are alternative techniques to be used such as the wand (pain-free injection), laser dentistry, Air abrasion, and digital impressions.
However, while these may be applicable in some Cases, they certainly will not replace the dental drill or local anesthetic needle every time. Therefore, in the long term, tackling the phobia Itself is by far the best option.
