Justin A Devack DMD — Dental Tips Overcoming Your Fear of the Dentist
Are you afraid of the dentist? Do you consider cancelling your appointment days before, or not showing up at all? Do you feel helpless and uncomfortable in the cleaning chair? If you are, you aren’t alone. Over 75% of Americans experience dental phobia to some degree, 10% are extremely terrified and reluctant to get a dental checkup. In this article, we want to go over why people fear the dentist, and steps you can take to make your visit to the dentist a lot easier on your mind.
Why Do People Fear the Dentist?
Justin A Devack DMD says there are quite a lot of reasons why people develop a bad taste for dentist in their mouths. From harsh dentist personalities, to injury, to terrible experiences, all of these can affect someone starting at a really young age. Most anxieties start at childhood, when as young kids we are learning about the world. Our body and mind are learning about the dangers in the world. Accidents such as a pick scraping against the gum accidentally or an immense pain when getting a cavity filled at an early age will reinforce the fear of the dentist. Dig into the worst feelings you have personally. They feel terrible don’t they? So why would you go to the dentist when you can just avoid it entirely?
Others don’t go to the dentist because they feel like they’re not in control. Having someone you just met and don’t really know too much about be in full control of what’s going on in your mouth is a terrifying ordeal. Feelings of anxiety are often why people reschedule their dentist appointment or skip out on it entirely.
Interesting Fact: Humans have an uncanny desire to protect open air passages. We are naturally self-conscious to open up our mouths and exposed to vulnerabilities.
Justin A Devack DMD conducted a study, and examined a couple interesting facts about those who have dental phobia. There are some people that choose to eat only soft foods instead of harder foods to avoid chipping a tooth and have to go to the dentist. Others reported dreaming about dentist experiences, and dread sleeping for fear of having these nightmares again.
People who have bad cases of dental phobia suffer years on end from toothaches, gum disease, and poor dental hygiene. Avoiding the dentist is much more than what is sounds like. It’s something that can affect your entire identity, who you are, what you value.
5 Tips to Overcome Your Fear of the Dentist
Talk to your dentist! A universal rule to follow is to always express your concerns and needs. Your dentist isn’t a telepathic, he cannot read your thoughts. By expressing your worries, your dentist will be able to adjust his practice and his approach to your appointment, so you feel more comfortable and in control of the situation while being treated.
Establish a ‘stop’ signal. Pushing yourself is one thing, but sometimes you will not be able to make it through an entire appointment without feeling a wave of nausea or discomfort envelop you. It’s a great idea to work with your dentist and create a stop signal. Doing so gives you the luxury to stop the procedure if you feel uncomfortable or just need a break and fresh air.
Visit the dentist regularly. This is the complete opposite tip you want to read, but it’s a great one. In order to counter any bad thoughts or experiences about the dentist, you got to have a positive outlook on the visit, and just have a good time. You’ll see your dental phobia progressively fade away with each positive reinforced dental visit. It’s a tall task to go in regularly, but doing so will benefit you the most.
Relax! It’s important that you take the time to relax and clear your mind before a dental visit. If you are looking to reduce your fear of the dentist, this is the right approach. When you are scheduling a dentist appointment, set it for morning hours. It’s best to schedule for the morning, that way the stress that accrues during the rest of the day doesn’t scare you away from coming into your dental appointment.
