Dental Phobia is the name given to the apparent anxiety people face when visiting the dentist. This problem is often called childish and not given enough attention. However, if you don’t make routine visits to the dentist due to fear, that can compromise your oral health.
People tend to attribute health issues such as bad breath or tooth cavity as oral problems only. But negligence towards oral hygiene can affect your overall health. For example, gum infections can happen from the neglected oral care which can lead to troubled chewing and then result in indigestion. The problem with cavities also can succumb to severe toothaches. This can warrant the tooth to be permanently removed from your mouth. Now think what this can do to your million dollar smile. Neglected health care can lead to a variety of problems which can cause major health issues.
You know that routine dentist visits are necessary. You might have always been aware of these facts. But you weren’t able to act on it due to deep fear and anxiety. You might even recall feeling lightheaded and nauseated when visiting the dentist. If so, you probably have dental phobia.
Whatever be the case you don’t need to fear any longer. The right way to handle fear is through proper understanding. You can manage this fear. But first, let’s understand how dental phobia takes heavy on your mind.
Reasons for Developing Dental Phobia
Dental Phobia, or dental fear originates from an early age due to some scarring, unpleasant memory. Here are a few things that you might recall happening to you, which might correlate to your present fear of dentists.
- A painful experience with the dentist during your childhood days.
- The dentist you visit is a rude and inconsiderate person.
- You might feel insecure letting a person see the insides of your mouth.
- All the metal contraption that will hover above you, as your head lies fixated on the dental chair.
- Fear of doctors in general. Many people faced with latex gloves, white gowns and white masks find it to be a frightening sight.
- Stories from friends and family about their bad experiences with the dentist.
- If you are self-conscious and have bad teeth, then embarrassment can prevent you from visiting the dentist.
And many more, including things that bring about a general sense of fear people have with doctors.
How to Fight Dental Phobia?
Now that you’ve accepted that you have dental phobia and want to do something about it, here are a few practices you can do to help you in the process.
- Accept that you are afraid and then understand that any fear can be overcome. Believing that you can overcome the fear will help you on a psychological level. Think how a bad set of teeth can damage your social persona. And to get an attractive smile with fresh and alluring breath, you will need professional advice, or in this case, a visit to the dentist.
- Search for a suitable dentist. Not all dentists will give you the bad experience you remember as a child. Remember, dentists are people, too. And just like there are grouchy and rude individuals, there are friendly people as well. Same goes with dentists. So, do a little research, ask friends for recommendations, and go and visit a dentist who is nice and friendly.
- There are many treatments and procedures available provided by dentists to help you manage your oral health. It is most likely that you don’t know all of them. So talk with the dentist. You will learn more about the entire ordeal, the procedure involved, and this should unveil the shadows and fear and bring in the light of white and shiny teeth.
- Anxiety is a big problem in general and not just with dental hygiene. So if you know that you suffer from any form of anxiety, it would be best if you learned some relaxation techniques.
- This is also a no brainer, but rarely people will do so. Just tell the man (or woman) you are putting in charge of your teeth that you have dental phobia. They will immediately know how to ease you up from there on in.