This topic is coming again due to recurring situations where many people postpone dental visits due to fear. This procrastination then leads to a deterioration of the condition often leading to pain with eventual removal of the tooth if it can not be restored.
Many often associate the dental clinic with pain or discomfort. It could be due to a past experience which was unpleasant or as a result of a wrong impression gotten from friends or colleagues who have had dental treatments.
Dental phobia is defined as the fear of dentists and/or dental procedures. People with dental phobia often miss dental appointment on purpose.
The first encounter a patient has with the dentist is very crucial as good or bad impressions are formed at this stage. The dental chair as relaxing as it can be has some accessories such as the air jet,
hand pieces and suction tips which could be the source of the patient’s apprehension. Because of this, the patient who is
hand pieces and suction tips which could be the source of the patient’s apprehension. Because of this, the patient who is
seeing the dentist for the first time needs to go through some form of orientation as to what to expect. Preventing dental phobia is paramount to having a patient return for subsequent treatments.
The common causes of fear include:
- Dental instruments: some instrument trigger fear. When some patients sight the dental syringe, they become apprehensive.
- Some patients have very low pain threshold; they interpret little pain as much and do not want to undergo any procedure.
- A patient who has had an unpleasant experience at a particular clinic will be fearful.
- Some people got their fear from listening to colleagues or friends recount their experience at the dentist.
Treating a patient with a history of dental phobia could be quite challenging. The dentists goal is to look for the best way to tackle the phobia and win the patient to his side. Treating someone with dental phobia needs a lot of patience and understanding; they sometimes need to be pampered. As soon as the patient gains the dentist’s confidence, he relaxes and allows the treatment.
Tips for patients:
1. Inform your Dentist of any fears you have; this will help your dentist think of the best way to treat you.
2. Relax. You could listen to music making use of head phones. Listening to music helps calm the nerves and serves as a distraction.
3. Ask your Dentist to explain the procedure if he hasn’t done so. This is to prepare your mind on what to expect.
4. Establish a signal such as raising your left hand when you feel uncomfortable or when you need to catch your breath.
Tips for patients:
1. Inform your Dentist of any fears you have; this will help your dentist think of the best way to treat you.
2. Relax. You could listen to music making use of head phones. Listening to music helps calm the nerves and serves as a distraction.
3. Ask your Dentist to explain the procedure if he hasn’t done so. This is to prepare your mind on what to expect.
4. Establish a signal such as raising your left hand when you feel uncomfortable or when you need to catch your breath.
Tips for Dentists:
Regardless of a patients apprehension, meeting an understanding dentist will help the patient overcome fear and receive treatments successfully. The secret to having a patient relax is to aim towards having a painless procedure and reassuring him that he is safe on the dental chair. Taking the dental syringe and extraction forceps out of the patients view and using words like ‘I will make your tooth numb’ instead of ‘I will give you injection’ also helps the patient relax.
Photo credit: rockymtnendo