Dental Anxiety Disorders

Only few knew the importance of taking regular care of their teeth. This may also be a result of the fact that there were no set standards or guidelines for people to follow on how frequently they must visit a dentist. Likewise, most of the dentists were interested in treating the dental issues, rather than preventing them.

There are many causes of dental phobia and reasons why individuals just do not want to visit the dentist bi-yearly for an exam or even for further procedures. While a lot of causes are unknown, there are some that are more obvious. Some people have a generalized fear of pain. This is a very common reason for an individual to skip the dentist office altogether. This reason of phobia is usually caused by an unpleased or painful previous dental experience or from someone else’s story about their negative experiences. An article from Web MD called Easing Dental Anxiety in Adults states, “Thanks to the many advances in dentistry made over the years, most of today’s dental procedures are considerably less painful or even pain-free” (2016).. A second cause behind some people’s dental phobia is fear of injections or fear of injection failure. The majority people are very afraid of needles. This fear increases when it involves needles inserted into their oral cavity. (Colgate, 2016). Some people even fear that the anesthesia has failed and it did not relieve them of their pain before the dental treatment begins. Along with the fear of injections comes the fear of anesthetic side effects. Some individuals dread the side effects that anesthesia is likely to cause, such as dizziness, nausea, and feeling faint. Others do not like the loss of feeling they experience in their oral cavity. A third cause of dental phobia is the feeling of helplessness and loss of control. People

As dental hygienists we are members of the healthcare community. That means that we have an extremely important role when it comes to the health of our patients. When patients present themselves in our treatment room, it is our responsibility to make sure we do not leave anything unexamined. We are professionals in the practice of identifying, preventing, and treating oral diseases. We do this by completing thorough extraoral and intraoral exams and being conscious of what to look for. One particular exam that we do is an oral cancer exam. As dental hygienists we are at the forefront in identifying this disease. In an article written by Nancy Burkhart, a coauthor of General and Oral Pathology for the Dental Hygienist, she states, “It is known that oral cancer is more likely to be detected in an early stage in the dental office than those found at a physician’s office, which tend to be at a later stage.” (Burkhart, 2014) This may be because dental hygienists focus more on the oral tissues than physicians do; or the fact that patients go to a doctor when it is already at advanced stages. It is imperative that we as dental hygienists know the signs and symptoms of oral cancer, as well as the risk factors involved in developing the disease and how it can be prevented. While it is important as a dental hygienist to identify oral diseases, it is more important to educate our patients on how they can avoid any potential abnormalities from becoming severe problems,

Lots of people know that dental cleanings are crucial for having clean teeth, but what many don’t know or realize it 's that it is also crucial for having a healthy mind as well as a healthy body. For being such a frequently visited place, there are lots that people do not know about. Here I will present you with what you should know, the process of, and what to expect on your next dental cleaning visit. Lots of people see the mouth as something completely separate and different from the rest of their body. The reality is that everything is connected to each other. Having problems in your mouth can cause or indicate diseases in other

The stigmatism attached to going to the dentist goes out the door when meeting the dental staff and their ability to get patient’s minds off of the procedure they are about to perform.

“No, please do not make me go, I hate the dentist”, is the sentence my brother would repeat every time our mom would announce we had a dentist appointment date approaching. On the other hand, I definitely preferred going to the dentist office than the doctor office. I admired the tools and the distinct sound they made, the scrubs the employees wore, and last but not least the free dental goody bag we received once our appointment was finished. Earlier this year I decided that dentistry is what I will major in and work as because I want to be more than an assistant, I have always been interested in the occupation, and it will bring stability. I can not recall one moment that I did not want to go to the dentist.

As stated by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, “Each year, more than 30,000 new cases of cancer of the oral cavity and pharynx are diagnosed and over 8,000 deaths due to oral cancer occur.” (CDC). Most adults are unaware that they have periodontal disease or gum disease, this occurs because they do not maintain routine checkups with their dentist. When we insert food and other bacteria into our mouths, it affects our teeth and gums. We need routine dental checkups and cleanings throughout our lives. Dental checkups usually involve x-rays, cleanings, and the examination of the mouth.

The distinctive sound in the dentist's office coupled with its slightly sweet antiseptic smell has long been a source of anxiety for many people. Ask almost anyone and they will tell you stories much like the one of my grandmother, who was never given treatment for her pain. Instead, she was treated only with silver nitrate on the decayed areas to deaden the nerve endings. However this did not heal the decay. Perhaps instead they would tell of a time when their dentist, who had just received his new high-speed drill, insisted that there was no need for Novocaine. Along with new problems such as dentists infecting their patients with HIV, the negative side of dentistry has increasingly been in the

There are some populations that did not have access to fluoridated drinking water, so to compensate for this, it is advised to use “fluoride toothpaste” (CDC, 2013). Fluoride toothpaste is good to prevent decay because it provides coat to work against sugar and the formation of plaque. Another recommendation is to have a routine for brushing teeth, and the recommendation is to brush ones teeth at least “2 times a day and floss with the nighttime brush” (Rebecca, 2017). This routine can reduce the chances of dental plaque build up and can also prevent periodontal disease or gum disease. A nurse screening for dental problems by using the Kayser-Jones is important, however it is more important to see a dentist regularly, even if they may have no teeth or dentures. The dentist is more capable for screening for cancer in the oral cavity. Some patient education is to avoid the use of “tobacco and alcohol” (CDC, 2013), and these 2 items affect the oral cavity by damaging the lining of the mouth and throat, and can increase the risk of cancer and infections. Also, for patients with cancer and would have “chemotherapy” (CDC, 2013) around the head and face; the patient may experience a damage of tissue cells around the mouth. This includes ulcerations in the mouth, loss of sensitivity to taste, and also a lack of the production of

The article I have chosen was obtained from WebMD and is called “Don’t Fear the Dentist.” The article begins by stating that dental anxiety is a problem that causes countless of patients to avoid going to the dentist. According to the Dental Fears Research Clinic—a source mentioned in the article—about five to eight percent of Americans will not visit the dentist due to dental anxiety, and about twenty percent of Americans will not go to the dentist unless their condition is serious. The reasons for patients’ dental anxiety can be due to previous unpleasant experiences in a dental office, anxiety disorders, physical abuse, substance abuse, stress, and other less common factors.

3. Living Healthy: Beyond the toothbrush, the way you live your life can have a negative impact on your teeth, too. Smoking, eating too much sugar and not seeing your physician to keep on top of issues involving the heart or diabetes may put your teeth at risk. Your teeth are simply an extension of the rest of you and as such, require the preventative and proactive measures that contribute to total health and wellness.

They focus on oral cancer screenings, perform X-rays and also treat all the oral and gum diseases. Dentist's know routine checkups, sealants, flossing, fluoride that can be helpful in preventing oral diseases. They are focused on enhancing the appearance of an individual and they are concerned about the overall well-being of a patient. Dentists try maintaining long term dental relationships with their patients and they review medical history easily to keep them informed about the health. They prescribe medications to alleviate pain in the dental patients and to ward of illness that can otherwise impact the overall health. People who are scared of visiting the dentists should keep their fears and visit them now.

Fear of the dentist is more common today than most people would imagine. You’re probably very familiar with individuals fearing the dentist, especially if you work or have worked in the dental field. So, what is dental fear? Is it an idea that our parents put in our heads because it was passed down to them from their parents? Is it an emotion that is formed based on images shaped in the mind about going to the dentist? Dental anxiety is abnormal fear or dread of visiting the dentist for preventative care or therapy and unwarranted anxiety over dental procedure. (U.S National Library of Medicine, N.D.) Patients who experience dental anxiety will have a sense of nervousness and unfounded worries or fears. “Some studies have concluded that 75% of people have at least some fear about dental visits.” (Penn Dental, May. 15, 2017.) Dental phobia is a more serious condition. It's an intense fear or dread. “People with dental phobia aren't merely anxious, they are terrified or panic stricken.” (Colgate, September 18, 2013.) Many people with dental phobia typically avoid the dentist unless they have pain and only find it necessary to seek treatment. Negative experiences in childhood are the most common causes of dental fear. So, what can we do to rationalize with our patients? Educate!

In dentistry, anxiety is categorized into two: Dental phobia and dental anxiety. A person with dental phobia tends to avoid treatment maybe because of unpleasant experience in the past. Dental anxiety, by contrast, relates to the psychological and physiological variations of a non-pathological fear response to a dentist’s appointment or treatment. Individuals who cancels, avoids, or postpones dental visits are the anxious patients (Bhola and Malhotra, 2014).It is a major dilemma in pediatric dental practice and it exists in a considerable proportion of children and adolescents. According to the study of Gao et al (2013), about 6-15% of the world's adult population avoids dental care due to dental anxiety and dental phobia. The catastrophic

Although many Americans have good oral hygiene due to fluoride and making everyday good decisions, others do not have any access at all to oral health care. Over the years, dentists have been trying to demonstrate the importance of oral care. (“Access to Dental Care”) From commercials to campaigns, dentists will continue to demonstrate to their patients as well as to the people who don't have insurance the importance of oral health care. They will teach them preventative care and some techniques on how to prevent from getting any diseases.