The Fears Of Dentists With Pain

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

Evidence increasingly shows that poor oral health is associated with functional disability that can lead to deficits and decline” (Overview of oral health, 2017). According to an article in the Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research, dental fear can have a significant impact on a person’s awareness of their oral health, as well as one’s pro-active steps towards prevention and treatment. Therefore, it is paramount in helping a patient alleviate their fear by listening to the patient, acknowledging their concerns, and taking things slowly (Yildirim,

Hook: Odontophobia is the fear of the dentist, shockingly, many have a fear of this, and even teeth themselves. The thought of some stranger taking drills and shiny metal tools to your mouth is enough to understand the fear itself. Odontophobia is the reason I didn’t choose the occupation of a dentist; I chose the work of a dental hygienist. A dental hygienist will: remove stains, and plaque from teeth, apply fluorides to help protect teeth, take and develop dental x-rays, assess the patients’ oral health and report findings to dentists, document patient care and treatment plans, and educate patients about oral hygiene techniques.

Health care has been an issue for the United States of America for multiple years. Dental care, a topic that does not get much attention because people believe it is trivial, plays a major part in people’s lives, particularly children. Gerard van Honthorst’s The Tooth Puller shows a dentist pulling a patient’s tooth with five observers watching. Van Honthorst shows how in awe or scared people are of the dentist. There is a negative outlook on dentists and dental care: people are afraid of the dentist giving them their negative connotation, while dental care only causes pain in many people eyes. There is a problem in the health care system and improvement in the system is needed because health care is a right for every citizen, especially dental care. The United States of America’s government should allow dental therapist to conduct the procedure that normal dentist conduct for free for children under the age of twelve. The government should fund the teaching, training, and employment of dental therapists to care for underserved people.

When I was about 5-years-old, I was the only one in my Kindergarten class that was not frightened of the dentist. I was the only child for as long as I can remember who absolutely adored going to see my dentist; I thought it was better than going to the Science Center, which was a big deal for a child in my generation. Growing up, I watched people’s faces twitch with (terror, panic, dismay) as I explained that it was my ultimate dream to become a dental hygienist. “What if a child bites you?” “The human mouth is disgusting! Do you not realize the horror of this occupation?” Listening to people question and insult my dreams only enhanced my dedication to this occupation even more. I was determined to prove them wrong; to prove that this was

Those who have a fear of the dentist often forgo important preventive care, resulting in extensive decay, gum disease, and potentially life threatening infections. Sedation dentistry allows these people to overcome their fear and receive the care they need.

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!

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.

ith a weary face and sweaty palms, I walked into the gloomy dental offices as a yearly ritual. The intimidating environment of the office made me feel knots in my stomach. As a child I never enjoyed visiting dentists because I was convinced that these humans were merciless people who could not care less if I was in pain. Ironically, the lifetime career I seek for now is the career I disliked before. The decision to become a dentist developed when I had the desire to give children a better experience and a different perspective on professionals of this field. From my experience, the dentists were not gentle and did not give me time to collect myself before pulling a tooth out. Orthodontics is a profession that I am pursuing since I have consistently desired to work in a healthcare career that enables me to help people by using my interest and talents in hand motor and communication skills. I strive for perfection and work patiently, as well as diligently, which will help me throughout this profession. There are skills that I need to obtain such as shadowing or volunteering in a dental office, which is also part of the educational preparation needed for dental school. All of these talents combined are essential for a typical day in dentistry in which I need to create a safe and comfortable environment for the excessive amounts of patients daily

This process can be applied in a health practice such as the dentist. For instance, it is said that children can sometimes be terrified to go to the dentist. This is because the child has associated the dentist to pain and have been classically conditioned to respond with fear to the stimulus of going to visit the dentist.

Be open with your patients, listen to their fears and set your expectations of behavior with them. Let them know that what they may have experienced in the past is just that, the past. You are not the last dentist they saw. You have an opportunity to change their perception for the better.

A phobia is an intense and/or irrational fear of something that poses little or no danger. It is believed that over 4 to 5 percent of the US population has one or more clinical phobias (National Institute of Mental Health). Geraldo’s fear of the dentist, also know as odontophobia, could have been caused by a traumatic event in his childhood. Geraldo’s phobia of the dentist can be cured by behavioral and psychodynamic therapy.

Loss of teeth is a major event in life that remembers the person that life is fragile, so the patient will feel with some depression. Emotional preparation of the patient is very important as the preparation of the tissues of the basal seal. Severe gagging may be also an emotional reaction to the lost teeth. In addition, dental anxiety may create a psychological barrier between need and demand. Normal patients respond to fear and anxiety on three levels. The first is the “Intellectual Level” where the patient is willing to accept and face difficulties and the third level is the lowest

One negative experience in a dentist's chair creates a lifelong fear of the dentist in some people. Others may not know where their dental fear comes from, only that it is very real and difficult to overcome. Fearful or not, proper dental care is important. If you struggle with dental visits, try these strategies for overcoming your fear and getting the care you need.

However, phobia can even cause people to risk their health. For example, the fear of dentists can leave people suffering from it willing to risk the health of their teeth in order to avoid having to go through an exam or procedure ( MacKay). When one knows about an upcoming confrontation, it can be the reason why one can not sleep or finds it hard to focus on important tasks. Due the change in daily routine, this unrealistic fear can interfere with the ability to socialize, work, or go about everyday life, brought on by and object, event or situation. But even animals have anxieties and phobias just as every human being (www.phobia-help.de). A phobia is an irrational fear, one knows that the object or situation, one is scared off, can not hurt one, but one is still afraid. A reason for this is that the human mind can not distinguish what is real and imaginary. When one has uncontrollable anxiety attacks, he loses rational judgement, leading to complicated problems. However, anyone can develop a phobia, men and women, teens and young adults, and elderly lady or a one-year-old boy (MacKay).