Being afraid of the dentist is one of the most common sources of anxiety out there. And most people live with some form of it. The severity does range, from mild discomfort leading up to an appointment to complete and crippling fear that prevents a person from going to the dentist for years (often until they are forced with pain or a major problem).

Dental anxiety is a very real issue that is felt throughout the body. Unfortunately, it can hijack a person’s decisions around their oral care. And that is when it becomes a problem – when regular and proper care is sacrificed due to this anxiety.

What are people actually afraid of?

Generally speaking, it is rarely the dentist themselves. In fact, most dentists are incredibly kind, thoughtful, intelligent, and compassionate people. 

Instead, people tend to get anxious about the experience of going to the dentist. These are some of the most common “root problems” that lead to anxiety.

Past experience: when a person has had a painful experience (yes, some procedures are uncomfortable and require healing time), the brain has a hard time letting go of that association. Even if it was only 1 out of 100, the mind will remember the experience that was most traumatizing.

Shame: many people associate healthy teeth with being “good.” And that teeth in need of care is a mark against a person’s character or capacity to care for themselves. The challenging thing is that the longer anxiety keeps a person from the dentist, the worse their teeth may get. Putting a person into a cycle that’s very difficult to get out of.

Sounds: the sounds of grinding and scraping and sucking can be extremely uncomfortable, there’s no getting around it. 

Cost: dental work really can add up, and sometimes insurance (for those lucky enough to have coverage) doesn’t take care of everything. Both emergency and cosmetic work can cut into savings, and that can be a prohibitive situation that increases anxiety.

Fear of pain: many people have a deep fear of physical pain, and it will prevent them from putting themselves in situations that may cause that kind of discomfort. 

Fear of needles: some dental procedures do require a needle for numbing and many people suffer from an extreme phobia around getting jabbed.

How to move beyond fear of the dentist

Fears are such a tricky thing to confront. And it doesn’t usually help to lecture a person about how irrational their fears are. Perhaps the most bizarre thing about the fears listed above, is that by avoiding the dentist, a person increases their chances that they will have a more painful, uncomfortable, costly experience. 

For overall oral care, it’s important to have strong oral hygiene habits at home. It’s also crucial that you see the dentist on a regular schedule. It’s called preventative care, meaning that the more time a person puts into keeping their teeth brushed, flossed, and checked up on, the easier and more relaxed their dental visits will be.

That’s all great in theory, but what are some practical things a person can do to face their dental anxiety and try to overcome it.

1. Get to know your dentist and the dental staff

At our dentist office in White Rock/ South Surrey, we really do want to know if our patients are feeling anxiety. And we suspect it’s the same in most offices. If a dentist, the hygienists, and other staff are aware that a patient is experiencing angst, it’s easier to provide support. Even if the procedure is something common like a cleaning.

2. Bring headphones

One of the simplest tricks in the book is to bring earbuds or headphones to the appointment. This allows you to drown out the sounds (if that is part of your fear). 

3. Invest in your mental health

Sometimes anxieties from other areas of life manifest in things that are seemingly unrelated. A fear of the dentist can actually be traced back to a fear of aging or even generalized anxiety. Both may be resolved with therapy, medication, exercise, diet, or a combination of these.

4. Bring support  

Sometimes having a family member or friend in the waiting room will be enough to calm the nerves.

 

Some anxieties and fears – like a fear of spiders – can be left unchecked, without much consequence. But dental anxiety can actually have a very detrimental effect on a person’s overall health and wellbeing. If you are looking for a dentist in White Rock or South Surrey but are experiencing anxiety, give us a call. We can set up a consultation as a first step to help ease your mind.