Many people develop a fear of the dentist that can be classified as a phobia. What is dental phobia?
Phobias are irrational and intense fears which can be brought on by a multitude of items including health care professionals like your friendly neighborhood dentist. Not very many people love to go to the dentist,
but they usually understand that it is a necessary step in taking care of their health. Most dentists have been trained in chair-side manners that allow them to be sensitive to their patients so that the dental experience is as pain free, physically and emotionally, as possible. Acute anxiety and phobic response to the dentist is a different kind of animal. What are the symptoms of dental phobia?
Symptoms include:
- Panic attacks or breathing problems due to the instruments put in one’s mouth.
- Increased heartbeat and facial flushing during the appointment.
- A person feeling physically sick when thinking of going to the dentist.
- Even the sight of dental tools or white lab coats can cause anxiety.
- Sitting in the waiting room causes tension to escalate.
- A crying jag may be brought on by news that it’s time to go for dental work.
Many times the fear is irrational and can’t be accounted for. Other times, patients list a few common reasons for their panic: Some of the reasons include:
- Fear of pain: When patients were surveyed, many listed pain as one of their main fears. Sometimes this is due to a bad former experience, dental or otherwise.
- Embarrassment: Many patients feel uncomfortable with professionals looking into this intimate part of their body. Some people are uncomfortable about the physical closeness and some are embarrassed about the condition of their teeth.
- Loss of control: Being in a dental chair makes many people feel confined and as if they don’t have any control over the situation. It’s even hard to verbally communicate because there are medical tools inside the mouth.
- Bad experiences: If a person has had a previous unpleasant dental experience, they may fear that every visit will be the same.
If a person suffers from phobias or anxiety attacks about going to the dentist, it is important that they address it. Phobias that are buried never go away. Dental problems can escalate, as well. Mental health professionals trained in behavior modification techniques can help a person alleviate this fear with a variety of methods. Speaking with a dentist about this problem can lead to understanding, extra sensitivity and a referral to a therapist who specializes in helping overcome phobias.
