How Does the Fear of the Dentist Go Away? 7 Effective Ways to Overcome the Fear of the Dentist
“I’m so afraid of the dentist, what should I do?”, ”I can’t sit in the dentist’s chair“, “Is painless dental treatment possible?”
If these questions seem familiar to you, you are not alone. 7 Out of every 10 people in Turkey have a fear of dentists, and this fear often causes postponement or even complete cancellation of treatments.
I’m Prof. Dr. As Birkan Taha Özkan, I have witnessed many of my patients coping with this fear for more than 20 years in the field of Oral, Dental and Maxillofacial Surgery. In this article, I will tell you the most effective ways to overcome the fear of dentists, painless dental treatment techniques and how dentist phobia harms your life.
Why Is There a Fear of Dentists? What are the Symptoms of Fear of the Dentist?
The main reasons underlying the fear of the dentist are:
* Past painful or infectious treatment experiences
* Fear of needles (phobia of injections)
* Feeling of losing control
* The instinct of insecurity
* The sound of dental instruments (especially the sound of the milling motor)
* A feeling of choking or inability to breathe in the mouth
* Childhood traumas
If you are experiencing symptoms such as your feet going backwards when you approach the dentist’s chair, heart palpitations, nausea, excessive sweating, and even feeling like you are going to faint, or lack of sleep the nights before going to the dentist, this is dental anxiety, i.e. dentist phobia.
Negative experiences in the past may cause you to develop antipathy towards the doctor and phobia towards treatment over time. This condition delays the treatments and leads to the problems becoming irreversible.
If you are thinking of going to a new dentist, but you have bad memories from the past, now is the time: Turn over a white sheet.
How Does the Fear of the Dentist Go Away? Ways to Cope with Dentist Phobia
“If You are Going to Choose a Dentist for the First Time, I Recommend You to Read This Article”
As a dentist, I see the same uneasiness in the eyes of many of my patients who come to the clinic for the first time. Rest assured, I understand you very well. Because the first appointment for a patient is the most difficult. Especially if he has had a bad experience before…
That’s why I want to give you a heartfelt piece of advice: be sure to do research when choosing your dentist. Not just because it is ”near me“ or ”the cheapest”; it is very important that you go to a doctor who is really equipped with information, makes you comfortable as a psychologist, gives you confidence.
First of all, look at the dentist’s resume. Which university did he graduate from? Has he received specialized training? In what fields does he work? Is he doing implants, is he interested in aesthetic dentistry, or is surgery his priority? This information tells you a lot.
In addition, his scientific publications, congresses and seminars he attended, television programs, scientific articles he wrote, his own techniques or inventions, newspapers he published, hobbies, achievements and awards show how much he values his profession. Because a good dentist, even though he has an academic title, never says “I’ve been OK”; he keeps learning all the time.
And definitely take a look at the Google comments. Real patient experiences tell in the most natural way what kind of person that doctor is, how he feels, how the process goes. Is his hand light? Is it descriptive? How is his interest after treatment? How long does it take to complete the treatment procedures? The materials he uses, the handicraft, the differences in the treatment procedures, the technological devices he uses? These can be revealed in the comments of patients.
And one of the most important: Dental treatment is an awake treatment. Regional drowsiness is achieved while the patient is awake, and the patient communicates with the physician during treatment. For this reason, dental treatment is not just a technical procedure, but a matter of trust that can increase with communication. A doctor who understands the patient’s fear, can empathize, answers without hesitation when you ask questions, listens to his patients patiently and carefully, is the doctor who is trying to do the best treatment.
I try to live this with my patients every day. I hope these lines will help you take your first date with a little more peace of mind.
- First Session: Meeting and Information Only
I prefer not to treat someone with dental fear at the first session. Before the examination and before, in the first place, he needs to get to know the clinic, talk to me, relax in the clinic.
Only a detailed oral clinical examination is performed and a calm information is given by taking a panoramic X-ray and examining the teeth, gums, jaw joint and jaw structure in detail.
After the examination, you can ask your doctor to make a statement about your problem from the pre-post photographic records of the treatments he performed before. This makes it convenient for it to be a guide about your treatment course and for your treatment to be shaped in your head. This way, you will be ready to trust your dentist.
- Is Painless Dental Treatments Possible?
Thanks to precise hand technique and modern devices, it is now:
*Laser dental treatment
- Laser gum treatment
*Seamless implant with laser
*Root canal treatment with laser and electronic canal treatment device in one session
*Treatments are completed almost painlessly with my special technical local anesthesia methods that I apply individually. For those who do not match the female, a spot shot is performed according to the nervous anatomy. In inflamed teeth, the tooth can still be numbed with special drug treatments.
Do you have a phobia of needles? Complete numbness is provided with special fine needle tips, hand lightness and high-quality solutions.
- Relaxing Environment and Techniques
Specially for our patients in our clinic:
- Lavender aromatherapy
*Music therapy
- 15-minute relaxation session on the massage chair before surgery
* If necessary, relaxing injections and sedative applications (light drowsiness) are offered. Thanks to this, your body relaxes, your heart rhythm is balanced.
We provide a safe and comfortable environment with special local anesthetic or sedation instead of general anesthesia.
- Start with Short and Simple Procedures
Starting with short and comfortable procedures such as dental calculus cleaning, dental examination or a small tooth filling allows you to gain self-confidence.
“Teacher, how are you doing when you are doing root canal treatment?” do not forget that my patients who ask are relieved and the physician can perform detailed procedures in this comfortable environment.
- Get Information Before Treatment, Remove the Uncertainties in Your Head
The biggest reason for dentist fear is the unknown. Fears are quickly reduced when the processing time, techniques, and what can be experienced after the process are clearly explained. Don’t let the fear of the dentist stop you from thinking.
If you have systemic diseases, first of all, get them under control and your general condition will become safe. In particular, hypertension (HT) can lower your pain threshold in the dental chair and cause your dental treatment to be painful. Therefore, make sure that your systemic diseases are under control and then be ready for a safe dental treatment.
If the feeling of trust in the doctor has been lost, research your new doctor in a multifaceted way. Express your concerns clearly. Look at the “Before-after” case photos of the patients your doctor has treated, if any, and build trust.
- Build Trust with Positive Indoctrination and Experience
Say to yourself, ”I can do it this time.” Your first positive experience will break all the negative patterns in your mind.
The gradual treatment method is ideal. Build trust by starting with small procedures, then move on to large treatments. Every session is a step, one success leads to another.
What Happens If the Fear of the Dentist Delays the Treatment?
Every dental treatment that you postpone leads to the following problems:
* Advanced dental caries and infections
* Tooth loss and implant necessity
* Bad breath and loss of social self-confidence
* Risk of heart diseases and systemic infections
There are also special anesthesia techniques for patients who cannot fully open their mouth. There are scientific solutions for every obstacle. Relax so that your doctor can perform excellent procedures as well.
5.Special Recommendations for Those With a Phobia of Dentists
- Explain your fears clearly to your dentist. He will understand you.
- Go to the treatment with a companion. Go with someone you trust.
- Agree with your dentist not to perform the procedure during the first session.
- Research safe, innovative, information-filled, almost painless and comfortable treatment methods.
- Start with small steps. Then proceed to another dental treatment stage. One success leads to another.
- Stick to the stages of your dentist’s treatment plan so that he will sort out the most appropriate dental treatment stages for you in the light of scientific data.
- You may want to see pre- and post-dental treatment images of your teeth that will be processed inside your mouth on the intra-oral camera. Seeing your dentist’s handiwork will build your confidence.
- As a result of your dental treatments, observe the reflections of the gums on the jaw and face. Keep in mind that the teeth, gums, jaw and face contain an integrity and are all directly connected to each other.
The Fear of the Dentist Is Not Fate, But a Surmountable Obstacle
I want to say this to everyone who has a fear of dentists:
“We are not the dentists you are afraid of, just the scars of the bad treatments you used to experience. But everything has changed now. With an experienced, insightful, modern dentistry approach, you can easily get through this process with a specialist who creates customized solutions for you.”
Take a step today. Make an examination appointment, even if it’s just for an introduction. That step will be the door to perhaps the most comfortable smile of your life.