Dental Anxiety and Fear of Dentists Q&A
Dental anxiety and fear of dentists can prevent people from getting the necessary dental care. It frequently results from a fear of pain or past unpleasant events. Effective management includes open communication with dentists, sedation options, and psychological therapies to improve patient comfort. Visit Dr. Page Mansourian, D.D.S., and his team of dental specialists. We are conveniently located at 4015 Mission Oaks Blvd, Suite A, Camarillo, CA 93012. For more information, contact us or request an appointment online.
Table of Contents:
What causes fear of dentists?
How can dentists reduce dental anxiety?
How do I get over my fear of dentists?
How common is dental anxiety?
The fear of dentists, called dentophobia, may develop for many different reasons. Everyone has a unique experience, so certain factors may cause dentophobia in some but not others. One of the leading causes of dentophobia is past traumatic experiences at the dentist that caused pain or complications. For example, if you were expecting a painless procedure only to experience extreme pain when you get the procedure done, your view of all dental procedures in general may shift negatively. Other non-dental-related trauma may also be a cause for dentophobia. Dentophobia may also be induced by hearing the poor experiences of the people around you or from the media. Personality traits may also play a role in unlearned dentophobia. The fear of dentists may also develop if a person also has a fear of needles or sounds related to the dental office. Other conditions that may feed into dentophobia include general anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, trust issues, etc.
Dental anxiety may be treated with a variety of methods, however, the solutions to reduce dental anxiety can vary when accounting for the many levels of severity. Simple psychological coping techniques may suffice for someone with relatively low levels of anxiety. Some of these include organized breathing, meditation, distractions, and taking breaks during the procedure. Some people may see improvement in their dental anxiety after seeking treatment from a psychologist where cognitive behavioral therapy is used. For people with more extreme dental anxiety, nitrous oxide gas, general anesthesia, conscious sedation, or other anxiety-dispelling medications may be used.
Nitrous oxide has the nickname laughing gas or happy gas and is delivered via a mask fitted to your face. Just minutes after inhaling a mixture of nitrous oxide and oxygen gas, you may feel more relaxed but remain awake. With this solution, the option to talk to your doctor during the procedure still exists. People often describe the sensation as pleasant and many are unable to recollect 100% of the events of the procedure due to the effects of nitrous oxide. Another trait of nitrous oxide is its quickness in wearing off, which can be utilized as an advantage in many cases.
Anxiety-relieving medications may be administered by a doctor to treat dental anxiety. These are usually taken orally and an hour before the procedure. Before taking this type of medication you should seek approval from your doctor.
Conscious sedation, or twilight sedation, is sedation that causes the patient to experience a state of relaxation and possibly light sleep, so that they are numb to a lot of the pain from the procedure, but are still able to hear and respond to the dentist.
General anesthesia is performed by the dentist and an anesthetist and causes you to lose consciousness and fall asleep during the procedure. However, general anesthesia may not help improve your dental anxiety and it may not be for everyone.
Talking to your dentist and communicating your fear to them is a crucial step in conquering your fears. Once they understand your triggers, whether it be fear of needles, sounds, or pain, they will be able to guide you to the possible solutions to your problems. Bringing along a trusted loved one may also help you to feel more comfortable and lessen your anxiety. Practicing techniques to distract your mind is another effective method to help get over your dentophobia. Things like deep breathing exercises and listening to music can also help ease your nerves. Seeking professional help through a psychologist may also help in your journey to conquer your dental fears.
Dental anxiety is common in many adults around the world, with up to 15.3% of adults having some form of dental anxiety and 3.3% of adults having severe forms of it. Other studies in the U.S. have shown there to be even higher percentages of dental anxiety in adults. Dental anxiety has also been shown to be more prominent in women and younger adults in some studies. Dental anxiety is a considerable issue for many people, but, luckily, there are plenty of methods to work around it. You should discuss your fears with your dentist beforehand so that they may provide you with solutions to work through your dental anxiety and find what works for you. For more information, contact us or request an appointment online. We are conveniently located at 4015 Mission Oaks Blvd, Suite A, Camarillo, CA 93012. We serve patients from Camarillo CA, Somis CA, Santa Rosa Valley CA, Oxnard CA, Hidden Valley CA, Thousand Oaks CA, and surrounding areas.