One of the most common phenomenons in the field of dentistry and oral care is dental anxiety.
Let’s understand this term in the most basic sense. Anxiety is an automatic response to situations that are stressful and traumatic.
Here, we focus on dental anxiety. Dental anxiety can fall into a broad array of subcategories; however, it is upon the dentist’s discretion to conduct specific diagnoses.
This kind of anxiety has been diversely termed as dental phobia, odontophobia, dentophobia, and dental fear in the medical literature. Moreover, this anxiety disorder ranges on a spectrum from mild to severe.
What Causes Dental Anxiety?
If you recurrently suffer from dental anxiety, know that you are not alone. Around 9% and 20% of the Americans avoid going to the dentist on account of dental anxiety or fear. While there are many reasons why some people have dental anxiety. Some of the common reasons include:
- Fear of Pain: This is one of the primary reasons why people ignore or neglect scheduling an appointment with their dentist. This fear has known to stem from bad dental experience in the past or the horror stories circulating around them. Nonetheless, given the fact that dental technology has advanced to a great extent, most of the dental procedures have become quick and painless.
- Fear of Injections: This one is deeply related to the fear of needles of sharp objects. For most people, the thought of needles penetrating their mouth is terrifying. Despite the fact that patients are often given local anesthesia before taking the procedure ahead, most people think and believe that they will still experience pain as the dosage is not strong enough.
- Feeling of Helplessness: When lying over the dental chair, most patients feel helpless and unaided. This is primarily because they are unable to see what’s going on in their mouth and the fact that they can’t do anything about it.
- Embarrassment or Loss of Personal Space: Most patients feel awkward about the physical intimacy of the dentist or hygienist. Others may feel ill at ease regarding the appearance of their teeth or possible bad breath.
How Can You Cope With Dental Anxiety?
The ultimate way to deal with dental anxiety is discussing your fears and concerns with your dentist. By educating your dentist about what bothers you about dental treatments, he or she will be in a better position to come up with best ways to alleviate your anxiety and make you feel relaxed.
However, if your dentist seems uninterested about your dental fears and comfort level, it’s a clear indication that you must look for another dentist.
If lack of control is something that stresses you out during dental treatments, the wisest thing that you can do is discuss your treatment in advance to get some relief Ask your dentist to provide you details on what the treatment will entail and what you should expect. This will mentally prepare you for the upcoming procedures; hence, alleviate your anxiety.
Looking for a dentist in Germantown, MD who offers dentistry for anxious patients? You have hit the right mark. At Advanced Dental Center, we provide sedation dentistry without any needles. Contact us for more details or learn about payment & insurances.
