|
Dental
Health
Afraid
Of The Dentist?
Did
you know that dental phobias and anxiety
stem from a variety of things? From
a psychological point of view, this
fear could result in “conditioned” response:
Dental
anxiety or fear of the dentist is a
major stumbling block for many people
just like you. It usually prevents otherwise
intelligent, rational people from optimizing
and maintaining their dental health.
Sometimes
when someone has had a painful or negative
experience during visits to a dentist's
office they may develop “dental phobias”.
This can even include careless comments
made by a dentist or hygienist to you
during a past appointment. Another possible
cause of dental fear is a severe discomfort
with your vulnerability and/or feeling
out of control in the dental situation.
People want to be capable of taking
care of their own mouth. Sometimes if
you are embarrassed of your dental neglect
and are afraid of ridicule or belittlement
when you’re at the dental office, you
might end up with a dental phobia.
Scary
stories of bad dental experiences learned
through family and friends may cause
you to fear the dentist and dental appointments
to an extent in which your behavior
intervenes in your normal daily routine.
Negative, menacing portrayals of dentists
in movies, TV, newspapers and magazines
also contribute to the many causes of
dental phobia, as well as a sense of
lack of individual attention. This is
intensified by today's necessity for
the use of barrier precautions, such
as masks, latex gloves and shields.
Added to this, you might just be afraid
of the unknown, which is undoubtedly
a primary factor of dental phobia.
Now,
of course it’s not enough to just mention
causes concerning this fear, it’s also
important that you consider the possibilities,
which put simply is a self-reflexive
question: “What can I do?” Overcoming
the fear is foremost on the list. Once
you see that fear is a learned behavior,
you can also learn to change it.
You
should feel comfortable expressing your
fears and concerns. You need an audience,
which is to say, you need to be listened
to. If you think that your dentist and/or
staff are not genuinely concerned and
listening to you, then you are not out
of line to seek out referrals to other
offices. Compromising necessary communication
levels is, by no means, as beneficial
as a sense of control over your dental
office situations.
Remember
too that if you’re educated, you’re
less anxious. Make sure your dentist
explains each and every procedure that
is undergone. Good dentists usually
have videos, pamphlets, or books for
you, explaining the procedures they
perform. A good dentist will answer
the questions you have, which is likely
to lessen your anxiety.
Other
ways you can handle dental phobia is
to ask your friends and family for dentists
they would recommend. You ought to feel
free to ask any potential dentist about
his or her practice, about their practice
philosophy and about the steps he or
she takes to make dentistry a positive
and beneficial experience. Remember,
you shouldn’t be intimidated. You are
the patient, the consumer, and it’s
the dentist who should be selling you
his or her service.
It’s
possible that some dentists may go over
relaxation techniques with you, which
is often beneficial and, for many, a
foundation for a solid, controlled experience.
Other dentists will play peaceful music
for you in the background or allow you
to bring in a walkman and headphones.
Some dentists even have virtual reality
goggles that you can wear during the
procedure, which may seem excessive,
is allowing more Americans to see that
there is a way to over come their fears
now more than ever before.
A
good relationship between you and your
dentist, with good communication, is
the key factor in overcoming dental
anxiety. You should feel comfortable
discussing anxieties with your dentist
and should be confident that he or she
will do everything possible to reduce
your anxiety. If this isn’t the case,
than it is time to look for a new dentist
who is willing to meet your needs.
>>
Back to Top
>>Click
here to visit our Smiles Gallery of
Cosmetic Treatments
|
