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WHY FEAR DENTISTRY?
Many people are so frightened of the dentist that they will not go
for dental treatment. These fears are often deep-seated and stem back
to childhood experiences. But dentistry has changed. Dentists today
are sympathetic about these feelings and a host of nerve-soothing
techniques can take the fear out of a trip to the practice.
Dentistry has moved on over the past few years. Now, dentists
recognise that some patients feel fearful and take special measures
to help them deal with and overcome that fear. So work with your
dentist to keep your mouth healthy. Regular check-ups will actually
keep you away from the dental chair for longer.
Why are so many people afraid of the dentist?
Negative childhood experiences
A previous bad experience - often many years ago during childhood -
is the most common reason why people fear the dentist. But there have
been huge advances in the industry and now dentistry is virtually
pain-free. A person's first experience may have been as a young child
in pain, when the unfortunate dentist had to do something to relieve
that discomfort.
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The intimate mouth
The mouth is an intimate part of our body, and having somebody
working on it can threaten our personal space, make us frightened and
feel like an invasion of privacy. Lying in the chair makes us feel
vulnerable - especially as you have to stay still while the dentist
drills millimetres away from perhaps an exposed nerve. Our
imagination can send our anxiety levels soaring.
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Negative media images
Images of dentists, like the eighteenth century cartoon of the tooth
surgeon or the film Marathon Man, feed our innate fears of suffering
pain while conscious. Even though local anaesthetic is widely used
today, your imagination can exaggerate the small amount of
discomfort.
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How to banish dental fear
Confront your fear
Recognise the fear and decide that you want to do something about it.
Probably, the greatest dental hurdle that you face is your fear of
dentistry itself. This can stop you seeking early dental care and
prevent disease. Doing nothing may mean that ultimately you need far
more dental work to save your teeth. Share your concerns with your
dentist.
Find out more
Information gives you power and therefore control over your own
health. There is much that can be done to deal with your fear. Don't
be afraid to ask for advice and information about dental fear - and
ways of treating it. Equally, the onus is on dentists to educate,
through individual consultation and the media.
Evaluate your dentist
He or she will play a crucial role in alleviating fear. Find a dental
clinic that is planned and designed to be emotion-friendly, relaxing
and non-frightening. Look for evidence that the attitude of the
dentists and their staff is supportive and encouraging. Look for
signs that the practice is concerned about preventative care and
quality treatment at all times.
Benefit from modern techniques
Be aware that the dentist must have patience in both administering
the local anaesthetic (slowly!) and waiting for it to take effect.
There are also lots of helpful techniques, for example nitrous oxide
and oxygen, popularly called happy gas. It is commonly used for women
in labour, so you can be sure that it is really safe. Happy gas is
almost instantly reversible and so the patient comes back to normal
within minutes and can return to work immediately. Some practitioners
also use hypnosis and acupuncture.
Be involved
During treatment, involve yourself in the decision-making process.
Have the dentist show you, with tools like oral cameras, where the
problem is and how it is being solved. The more you can project your
mind to the thought of having healthier teeth, the less vulnerable
you'll feel and the greater will be your comfort level.
In the end, you can only banish fear through a conscious building
process. Let the dentist reassure you with a gentle, caring and
relaxed approach. Try to understand more - which will increase your
level of confidence. Together, this will reduce and, hopefully,
eliminate your anxiety about dental care.
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