Dear Readers,
In this article we will discuss about one of the greatest, intense and a quite common fear… The Dental Fear aka dental anxiety or Dentophobia.
Do you also experience dental fear? Does a dentist appear to be a pain giving, bloodthirsty monster to you? Don’t worry, you are not alone. Dental fear is incredibly common and there are ways to overcome it.
Extremely strong minded people also face a breakdown in dental chair. A vast majority of people are neglecting oral health just due to some or the other kind of dental fear.
Let your fears not win over your good health. As I have earlier also mentioned in my articles that chewing of food efficiently is very important for an overall healthy being as the process of digestion begins in the mouth and not in the stomach or intestines.
So my dear readers firstly find out the reason of your fear and fight against it. We can overcome it together but for that you at least need to visit a dental office.
TOP REASONS OF DENTOPHOBIA:
- Just because someone else is scared so I am also scared.
- Have heard a lots of myths and negative rumours about dental treatment. (eg.: Dental treatment damages eyesight, dental treatments are extremely painful etc etc.)
- Extra concern about the hygiene and sterilization of dental instruments as they are supposed to be put in the mouth makes a person over conscious.
- Smells of dental materials.
- Sounds of dental machines.
- Some common fears like fear of doctor, needles, injections, fear of pain.
- Negative or painful experience with a dentist in the past especially in childhood. If a patient gets inflicted with dental fear in childhood then that fear becomes so extreme that such a person would never visit a dentist again. So I would like to request parents to go slow and steady with your children’s treatment.
ADVERSE EFFECTS OF DENTOPHOBIA:
- A dentophobiac tends to neglect oral health as long as possible. In such cases simple cavities or gum diseases aggravate and may lead to severe complications. Once the diseases are aggravated, they become even more painful and need little more time for recovery or may also lead to failed recovery.
- Due to neglect, treatments become time consuming, more invasive, painful as well as expensive.
- People with broken, discoloured or missing teeth might experience a social stigma as it affects the looks (esthetics) of a person. In long term this may lead to isolation, depression, lack of confidence and social anxiety.
- Due to a downgraded oral health, it is not possible to chew and digest properly. This leads to digestive problems which in turn affects the overall health of an individual.
COPING WITH DENTOPHOBIA:
- Its not impossible to cope up with any of your fears. The best way to fight your fear is to face your fear.
- Now a days dentistry has become much more advanced and least painful. Use of latest techniques has already reduced the dental pain during procedures from negligible to zero.
- Still if you are worried you can talk to your dentist regarding your worries and concerns. A good doctor will always hear you, give you enough time and help you out of it.
- Also you need to trust your dentist, so prefer going to a dentist who has been successful in gaining your trust.
- Try choosing a dental office which has facilities to divert patient attention and make you feel more comfortable. (eg. audio visual systems).
- In extreme cases of dentophobia consult a psychiatrist if required but just don’t complicate your health conditions as a result of fear.
So my dear readers nothing is impossible in life so just accept and face your fear. Stop your oral health and consequently your overall health from deteriorating. Dentophobia is very much common and can be treated with patient co operation and mutual trust.
-Dr. Rashmi Bamane.
