Dental visits often mean enduring discomfort and pain. Most people bear the soreness as the price for good oral hygiene. Others, however, cannot rationalize away the pain and they experience dental phobia. In extreme cases, people with dental phobia avoid the dentist for years at a time. Many factors may contribute to the feelings of intense fear.
Dental Phobia
Fear of the dentist is common and is a recognized psychiatric disorder listed in the “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition,” notes the website Dental Fear Central. Three levels of dental fear exist. Dental anxiety, the most common, is a generalized sense of nervousness centered on what will take place during the dental visit, or a fear of the unknown. Dental fear is a reaction to a known fear, based on a past experience. Dental phobia, the most intense emotion, is an extreme feeling of dread or even terror that may or may not be based on a past experience.
Symptoms
Dental anxiety causes a general sense of uneasiness, usually beginning the day before your dental appointment, explains Simple Steps to Better Dental Health. You may have trouble sleeping the night before your appointment and you feel nervous in the waiting room. Signs of dental phobia are stronger. You may feel tense and frightened the night before and increasingly anxious and panicky in the waiting room. You may feel nauseated or like you want to cry when you see the dentist or the instruments, or even when you think of going to the dentist.
Causes
Most dental phobias are rooted in previous bad experiences at the dentist’s office, says Dental Fear Central. Pain is the most frequent bad experience, but it is not necessarily a cause of dental phobia if the dentist is perceived as caring and compassionate. Humiliation by the dentist is also a common cause for dental phobia. Some people fear lectures by the dentist regarding proper oral hygiene, and they feel shamed by the condition of their teeth. Some people are especially sensitive to remarks made by the dentist or hygienist about oral care, even if the remarks are intended to be constructive. People with histories of physical or emotional abuse are prone to dental phobia, and many people with dental phobia have other psychiatric disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder, says Dental Fear Central. Dental phobia may be learned. A child raised in an environment where dental visits are dreaded is more likely to fear the dentist than a child whose parents treat dental appointments with little anxiety.
Consequences
Dental fear can be so overwhelming for some people that they avoid the dentist, says Simple Steps. Avoiding regular checkups leads to poor oral health, eventually resulting in loose or broken teeth and gum disease. Unattractive teeth may hinder a person’s willingness to smile and laugh or to talk with others. Poor oral hygiene is linked with poor overall health and conditions such as heart disease.
Treatment
Phobias can be treated but not cured. The first step in overcoming dental phobia is to acknowledge your fears, suggests the Dental Health Site. Identify the specific aspects of the dental visit that you fear the most, such as fear of pain, needles or loss of control. Consult with your dentist to discuss your concerns. Your dentist may need to use anesthetics or relaxants to help reduce your anxiety. Practice relaxation techniques and consider seeing a trained therapist to help you conquer your phobia.
