Effective tips on how to overcome fear of the dentist

There are many phobias. Someone is terribly afraid of spiders, someone is afraid of heights, and someone – blood. However, there is also such a category of people who are afraid of the dentist, sometimes to the point of losing consciousness. This phenomenon is called dental phobia. If you do not get rid of it in time, the consequences can be disastrous, up to unbearable pain, swollen cheeks and tooth extraction. That is why the question itself begs: “How to overcome the fear of the dental chair and trust the dentist?”. The online publication estet-portal.com has collected some tips for you that will help you deal with your phobias quickly and permanently.

Anxiety, cold sweats and other signs of panic fear

Dentophobia is found in many people. This problem occurs both in children and in adults who have crossed the threshold of the dental office. Its main feature is that people endure pain to the last, ignoring the problem and taking painkillers until they are completely "itchy".

According to the results of sociological studies, it was revealed that about 30% of the world's population experience real stress before visiting dentists. And 5% of them are prone to dental phobia, which is why they do not visit the dentist unless absolutely necessary.

The usual anxiety before dental treatment and dental phobia – they are different things. If in the first case the person feels normal, then in the second the following symptoms occur:

• panic alarm;
• rapid heartbeat;
• uneven breathing;
• headache;
• excessive sweating;
• dizziness;
• pupil dilation;
• abdominal pain and gastrointestinal upset (may cause diarrhea, vomiting, cramps);
• aggression (the patient often brushes the doctor off with his hands and feet);
• refusing treatment and medical advice;
• loss of consciousness.

As practice shows, many dentists, faced with such cases, simply refused to treat dentophobes, as a result of which the unpresentable appearance of the patients' teeth had a negative impact on their social life. But today, in any case, qualified assistance is provided to such people. 

Where the roots grow from: the main causes of fear  

Where does this fear come from? In fact, there are many reasons for this problem. But psychologists are inclined to believe that people are terrified of visiting the dentist after past visits, which are stored in memory as a negative experience. After all, many of you probably remember the frightening sound of the drill and dental treatment without anesthesia, which brought unbearable pain. In this case, we can talk about an acquired phobia.

Also, the cause of dental phobia often lies at the basis of heredity, when the fear is transmitted from mother to child even at the time of pregnancy. This is already an innate type of stomatophobia.

Phobia can be imaginary. It originates in the patient's head after scary stories about doctors from the mouths of other patients, the sound of dental equipment, screaming from the office, and so on.

Fear of the dentist is fraught with serious consequences. Untreated caries can turn into pulpitis, then – into inflammation of the gums, after which there is nothing left but to get rid of a bad tooth. Other problems may be added: ear infections, bronchial asthma, heart disease and other ailments.

How to overcome fear: some advice from psychologists and dentists

Modern dentistry – not the same as before. Almost every dental office is equipped with the latest technology, and teeth are treated completely painlessly. But how to overcome the fear of the dentist, even if it is present under such good conditions? Psychologists and dentists give the following recommendations:

• Highlights – it's a mood. Get out of your head everything that repels you from the dental office: the sound of a drill, an unpleasant smell, terrible pain. Think about something nice, like how beautiful your smile will be after the treatment.
• Let a close person come along with you and support you. It can be mom, brother, husband, sister – yes anyone.
• Don't forget that painless dentistry is booming right now. Once treated under local anesthesia, you will forget about your fear and the next visit to the dentist will not be difficult.
• If you can't calm down, take a sedative half an hour before treatment. Valerian tincture – just right.
• Before your next visit, read the information on the Internet about the treatment of the disease that you have. Knowledge will help you calm down and tune in properly.
• Be sure to tell your doctor about your fear. It is very important that the dentist understands your problem and helps to cope with it. If in this case he refuses to help you, do not waste time – look for another, more qualified and understanding doctor.

The effectiveness of dental treatment depends on the choice of a dentist and a medical institution. A good specialist will help eradicate fear and completely get rid of the problem without pain and complications.

• And one more useful tip on how to overcome the fear of the dentist: do not put off a visit to a specialist. After all, sooner or later you still have to go to him. The longer you hide from fear, the stronger it will cover you and then you will only need the help of a psychologist.

Dental visits and dental treatment – it's not so scary. Main – get in the right mood, find a good specialist and understand that dental treatment is an important procedure that will make your smile simply irresistible.