WHAT TO DO AGAINST FEAR OF THE DENTIST?

Symptoms of dental anxiety

Constantly delaying a visit to the dentist can already be the first warning sign of incipient fear of the dentist. The check-up visit is avoided until pain occurs. Even then, the absolutely necessary dental appointment is postponed until it can no longer be endured. It is not uncommon for huge amounts of painkillers to be taken by then, which eventually lose their effectiveness – a vicious circle. An increasing feeling of shame because of broken teeth and/or bad breath can also make a visit to the dentist almost impossible. You shouldn’t let it get that far in the first place. If you face your dental phobia in time, you can save yourself a lot of suffering later in life. 

Diagnosis of dental phobia

The diagnosis “dental phobia” is made by the therapist using clinical questionnaires that include the main symptoms. For example, the following questions could be asked to diagnose fear of the dentist:

• Does the thought of going to the dentist cause you severe anxiety?
• Are these fears preventing you from seeing your dentist?
• What physical symptoms do you experience when you have to go to the dentist (e.g. palpitations, dry mouth, sweating)?
• Do you think your fear is reasonable?

How does the fear of the dentist come about?

A fear of dental treatment is usually triggered by a negative experience during previous treatment. If, for example, pain occurs or shortness of breath occurs during an operation, this feeling is remembered and recalled at the next appointment. The patient reacts with fear, sweating, tachycardia, the feeling of not getting enough air, and being helplessly at the mercy of the situation.

Scary stories from others can also be the cause of the oral phobia. Parents, in particular, have a responsibility to be good role models for their children and not to think negatively about the dentist. Even today, some parents threaten their children with going to the dentist if they don’t obey. This has bad consequences for the child’s psyche, the development of a dental phobia is inevitable. Therefore the advice of your dentist in Steffisburg: Avoid negative descriptions of visits to the dentist, they could have lifelong tormenting consequences for others.

Treatment options for dental anxiety

There are various ways to treat the fear of the dentist or to get it under control so that dental treatment is no longer an ordeal for those affected.

First of all, it is very important that you communicate in advance and tell your dentist that you are afraid of the dentist and the treatment. This allows the treating doctor and his team to adapt to you and choose a particularly sensitive and reassuring type of examination and treatment.

In mild cases of fear of the dentist, it is sufficient if the dentist and his dental assistants convey calm and security. A pinch of humor can also help to reduce anxiety. Some patients like to listen to music during the treatment, which on the one hand dampens the background noise from the dental practice (drilling noises) and on the other hand distracts and calms.

Treatment under anesthesia

If the fear is so great that normal treatment is impossible, the remedy ” general anesthesia ” remains. During the treatment, the patient is put into a deep sleep by an anesthetist and is not aware of the treatment. However, since every anesthetic is also associated with risks, it should really only be used in particularly severe exceptional cases. The risks are often disproportionate to the effort required and the fear of the dentist still persists.

In the long term, the most are gained with psychotherapeutic treatment. Behavioral therapy works so well in up to 70% of all patients with a dental phobia that normal treatment at your dentist is possible again.

There are a number of anti-anxiety medications that can be used for the duration of treatment. Only the dentist should administer these drugs and the patient must be carefully observed after the treatment. Since anxiolytic drugs can also have a detrimental effect on the respiratory center.

Conclusion:

Dental phobia can manifest itself in different forms and is nothing unusual to be ashamed of. Deal with this problem openly and choose the method that suits you personally so that you can go to the dentist again without negative thoughts and fears. Follow Dr Pascal Terjanian blog for more articles about dentistry.