Does the sound of the driller send a jolt of nervousness all through your body? This is a common fear that comes with the thought of visiting a dentist that most people experience.

A lot of people associate dental treatment with intolerable aching and uneasiness, and hence experience anxiety when it comes to regular dentist visits. Even the thought of a dental check-up can leave them tensed. Such a scenario is known as dental phobia which can ultimately cause severe dental issues in the patient. This is because these patients will keep on delaying their dental appointments at the cost of their dental health. To avoid visiting the dental expert, these people will put up with problems like gum infections, tooth pain, cavities, and broken teeth. The more the treatment has been delayed, the greater the chances of the tooth problem worsening.



For people suffering from dental phobia, even the thought of visiting a dentist is petrifying and they will do anything to avoid the dental appointment. The cause of this phobia may depend on various factors like a painful dental experience in the past or hearing about a bad experience from someone. Also, some people postpone their dental visits because they are embarrassed to go to the dentist. This is especially common in people who are self-conscious about how their teeth will look. Since they can’t see what’s going on, they are often unnerved. Many dental treatments like root canal treatments involve the use of injections and this can also add to the fear. Some people also fear of side effects caused by anaesthesia like dizziness, while some fear the numbness caused by these injections.

Some of the symptoms indicating that you suffer from dental phobia are as follows:

1. You feel stressed or have trouble sleeping the night before the appointment with your dentist.
2. When you are sitting in the waiting room, your hands turn cold and you get nervous.
3. The sight of the dental instruments may make you feel nervous and panicky.
4. When the instruments are placed in your mouth, you may experience breathing problems.

Thankfully, dental clinics today have a friendlier atmosphere than before- like a pleasant waiting room and reception area with soothing music being played in the background. These days, drillers come equipped with mechanisms that make them less noisy. With the advancement in technology, dental treatments can be completely painless in the near future. For people who are phobic of needles, can opt for computerized injection systems which resemble a pen, thus delivering anaesthesia slowly without causing pain. Doctors these days also use anaesthesia gels that numb your gums before being injected. This will not make you feel the prick of the needle.

Here are a few guidelines to overcome dental fear:

1. Find an understanding oral specialist with whom you can discuss your dental phobia.
2. Once you have found a suitable and skilled dental expert, visit the clinic to see and get a hang of the dental atmosphere. Also, get somebody to accompany you. Explain to your phobia to the them before you begin with your treatment. This will help the dentist analyse and work on ways to make your treatment painless.
3. Freeze on a signal which will indicate to the dental specialist that you need a break or want him or her to stop.
4. Don’t just start with an extensive and complex treatment if you suffer from dental phobia. You must first start with simple treatments like a clean-up and tooth polish. You can start with the advanced treatments once you have built-up faith and understanding with your expert.
5. Listening to music during your treatment will help you relax too.

 



The only way to overcome a dental phobia is to talk to your dentist about your fears.  If you feel that a particular treatment is causing you a lot of pain, you can ask your dentist to modify the way you are being treated. You can also request your dentist to keep you in the loop and updated about every stage of the treatment. In case you are still experiencing pain during the treatment, you can always signal your dentist to stop. Skipping or delaying your dental visits because of your fear will harm your teeth and worsen your oral condition. So, take a deep breath and just go for it.

With the variety of methods and treatments available today that reduce pain, rest assured, your fear will be eliminated slowly. But even in case the pain is intolerable, the dentist will recommend painkillers that will slowly lessen your discomfort. To be calm and composed during the dental treatment is the best way to overcome your fear. I promise you, that your oral expert will leave no stone unturned to make you feel comfortable and at ease.