Are you faced with a difficult task of paying your dentist a visit? Your case is nothing unusual – At least 35 million Americans feel such anxiety. Anxiety is physical and mental tension similar to a state of fear but it is based upon anticipation of danger and a concern about a disastrous future event. Approximately at least 10% to 15% of US adults undergo a more severe form of fear known as dental phobia, an irrational, intense, and persistent fear of dental treatment. These sufferers avoid dental care at all costs and many of them will only seek help when they are suffering acute pain, such as a dental abscess requiring invasive treatment. This reinforces their fear of dentistry and they become part of a “cycle of avoidance”.
Most people raise valid reasons for their fear. Some recall a traumatic experience where they endured pain during treatment that was made light of by the dentist. They were humiliated by comments like “This isn’t hurting you!” or “Stop being such a baby!”. These remarks, plus the painful episode, especially if it occurred during childhood, remain vivid throughout a person’s lifetime. If there were more distressful visits over the years, the fear was strengthened. Many senior citizens whose age falls between 70 and 80 years old are frightened to see a dentist.
For some people who were restrained in the dental chair as a child or ignored when they had pain, visiting the dentist creates a high degree of anxiety. For some people, stepping into a dentist clinic is a frightening experience.
Local anesthetic is not always 100% effective and some patients require more than others . Many vividly recall pain while being treated only to be told “You’ve had plenty of Novocaine! It’s your imagination!” Years later, this patient is bound to be skeptical when assured that a procedure will be ‘painless’.
Dental Phobia takes into account:
• Fear of Dental Practitioner
• Fear of Dental Procedures, especially fear of the drill
• Fear of Pain
• Fear of Injections, ‘the needle’
• Worries on the negative effects of anesthesia like fat lip, numbness and drooling
• Fear of helplessness and loss of control
• Worry about the humiliation brought about by the teeth condition
Symptoms of Dental Phobia are:
• Difficulty in getting sleep the night prior the dental appointment
• Ill feeling physically and crying instances for visiting a dentist
• Aggravating nervousness while in a queue in the dental office
• Shivering, wobbling
• Shortness of breath
• Deadness and stinging effects in extremities
• Palpitations
• Sweating
• Throwing up and abdominal pain
• Chills or hot flushes
• Panic reaction brought about by dental objects put inside the mouth
Taking dental care lightly can be burdensome in the future because of risk to major dental problems. Cost wise, a cavity treatment is around $300 to $600 but the cost will at least double from $1600 to $2000 if it is not attended to immediately as a result of root canal problem. Dental infections from abscesses bring higher incidences of gum disease, early tooth loss as well as some systemic illnesses.
At present dental anxiety or dental phobia can be addressed in various ways. An appointment should be made just for consultation. The dentist should be told about the patient’s fears and past traumatic experiences. It will soon become evident if the dentist is compassionate and able to help with anxiety and dental phobia. If the patient’s plight is not taken seriously, then it is but proper to look for another dental practitioner. Conquering fear initially requires bringing out your ill feelings and active interaction on the procedure. An informed patient feels that he has a measure of control, allowing him to become a participant in his dental care.
