Are You Scared to Death of the Dentist?

Dental Fear and Anxiety Solutions

Dental fear is very common and, if it’s moderate to severe, we call it dental phobia. The amazing thing is that avoiding the dentist because of fear has far more serious consequences than whatever actually happens in the dentist’s chair.

Some Common Causes of Dental Fear:
1) Fear of pain
2) Fear of the doctor or staff making you feel guilty because you put off the care you needed.
3) Fear of the cost

This article deals primarily with the first one on the list, fear of pain.

A generation ago if something was really difficult it was described as
“like pulling teeth.”

Nowadays, if something is really unpleasant the saying is
“I’d rather have a root canal!”

If a Martian came to earth and heard these sayings, he would probably fear the dentist before he ever went to see one.

Many of us fear the dentist because of experiences which took place in our childhood. The techniques that were available to dentists a generation ago were archaic compared to today.
The attitude of dentists from years ago was not terribly sympathetic. As a result, a patient may recall a lot of pain in his childhood while having their dental care and not a lot of empathy. The dentist often told the patient that he would just have to manage or, worse, that it “isn’t that bad.” Things like “I’m almost finished, just hang on” were commonly heard years ago.
Many children had a difficult experience in the dental chair. This often affected them for the rest of their lives.

Things have changed!

If you have bad memories about injections, having dentistry done, noises and all kinds of “fun stuff”, there are solutions now that make dentistry very comfortable. The injections can be made nearly painless, the shrill sound of the dentist’s drill can be blocked, and there are many answers to the smells, sounds and anxieties many patients have. For those who are especially sensitive or fearful, one answer might be sedation dentistry.

Who would be an ideal candidate for sedation dentistry?

Most people are candidates for sedation dentistry, but those people who appreciate it most are the ones who are the most afraid of going to the dentist. The list of people who can benefit is actually quite long. It’s for people who:
· Have trouble getting numb
· Have had a traumatic dental experience
· Have sensitive teeth
· Want all of their dentistry done in usually one or two visits
· Hate needles and shots
· Hate noises, smells, and tastes associated with dental care.
· Are afraid and embarrassed about their teeth.
· Have a bad gag reflex
· Toothaches or Headaches
· Hate drills or the smell of the dental office
Just to name a few.

Because they have avoided the dentist for so many years, people develop problems with their teeth, gums, bones, bite and jaw.

They go to incredible lengths to compensate for the appearance that develops.
Some people learn to talk without showing their teeth.
Some never smile.
Some never eat in public.

Why? For some it’s all because of dental fear developed in childhood.
The sad thing is that it is fear of pain that is no longer felt in a dentist’s chair.
What is even sadder is that postponing dental care leads to even bigger problems and is bound to cause real pain.

The right thing to do is:

"Find a Dentist That Meets Your Needs and You are Comfortable With"

so you no longer have to experience “Old Time Dentistry”.