December 30, 2024
Dentophobia – how to overcome your fear of the dentist?
For many people, visits to the dentist and dental treatment in general are traumatic and challenging experiences. Dentophobia, or in simpler words, the fear of the dentist, is one of the most common reasons for avoiding dental treatment. Although the reasons for this can be numerous, e.g. fear of pain, negative past experiences, avoiding visits to the dentist can lead to serious health problems, such as tooth decay, periodontal disease and even tooth loss. It is therefore recommended to try to overcome this fear. In the following article, we will discuss how you can tackle dentophobia! We urge you to read on.
Dentophobia – what is it and where does it come from?
Dentophobia is a type of phobia where one experiences an irrational and strong fear of visiting the dentist or of the dental treatment process itself. Dentophobia is not a simple anxiety or fear, but a deep feeling of dread or even a panic attack, which can completely paralyse the patient and cause him or her to miss an appointment.
The causes of dentophobia are varied. For some, it is negative or even traumatic events from the past, e.g. painful dental treatment, painful tooth extraction, unpleasant behaviour of medical staff. Other fear inducers are sensationalised stories about dental visits told by friends or family. Some people are unable to remain still with their mouth open in the dentist’s chair and the situation induces them with downright panic.
Everyone may experience dentophobia in a different way. Some complain of a paralysing fear that prevents them from making any decision related to leaving the house for a scheduled dental appointment. Others, on the other hand, are unable to go to the dentist at all, severely neglecting their oral health. Common symptoms indicative of dentophobia can also include dizziness, abdominal pain and even vomiting.
How should you prepare for a visit to the dentist?
In order to tackle dentophobia, you must first become aware of the problem. This way, it will be much easier for you to take the second step, i.e. to make an appointment at our dental clinic and plan your visit accordingly.
First of all, you should know that dentistry nowadays offers many treatment methods that are effective and, in most cases, painless. By familiarising yourself with information on the techniques used, such as the anaesthetic or the treatment being carried out, it will be much easier for you to analyse the visit in your mind and what will actually happen during it.
It is also a good idea to schedule your appointment at a time that is convenient for you. Make an appointment for a dental consultation when your day is relatively free and your planned activities are less likely to get in the way. The day before your appointment, it is a good idea to ensure that you get plenty of rest and adequate sleep. Also, if you feel that the anxiety may undermine your will to turn up for the appointment, take a loved one with you who will make you feel better.
How to overcome dentophobia?
An effective method for getting rid of dentophobia, or for reducing the fear of the dentist, is psychotherapy. During it, the patient can identify the causes of his or her anxiety and develop coping strategies. The specialist can also assist in breaking down the negative beliefs associated with dental treatment and prepare the patient to gradually become comfortable with visits to the dental office.
One could also practise breathing techniques to relax and calm down. Of course, it is not a matter of achieving a state of complete relaxation, as when resting, because this is certainly not possible during a dental visit. However, regulating your breathing helps to lower cortisol levels, thereby relaxing tense muscles and reducing stress.
A popular method of relieving stress is, of course, inhalation sedation. The patient is given a mixture of oxygen and nitrous oxide, known as laughing gas. This is a safe and non-invasive method that allows the patient to achieve a state of deep relaxation with no loss of consciousness. The patient experiences a reduction in nervous tension, making treatment more comfortable. Inhalation sedation is particularly recommended for people with severe anxiety and dentophobia who are afraid of going to the dental office.
Summary
Dentophobia is a common condition that affects a considerable number of patients. Fear of the dentist can have many causes, with the most common ones certainly including poor previous experiences and sensationalised third-party stories. In order to overcome this kind of deep fear, it is a good idea to ask someone to accompany you during your visit to Perfect Smile. Also, we recommend breathing and relaxation techniques as well as consulting a psychologist.
