Dental phobia is really serious for people who have it and it makes it hard for them to go to the dentist for even the simplest things, like a cleaning. The thought of having to go to the dentist is terrifying to someone suffering with it and can cause anxiety and panic attacks. There are different levels of dental phobia from mild to severe. The most severe cases can disrupt all aspects of a person’s life and not just the state of their teeth.
What it Means For Someone With Dental Anxiety
Some people may not be able to handle thinking about teeth or the dentist and can have anxiety attacks from a toothpaste commercial. This can lead to people suffering from dental issues and cavities because they don’t want to deal with going to the dentist and would rather suffer. Your dental health effects your overall health so this can be a very dangerous path to go down. There are a few different types that sound the same but mean something different. There is dental phobia, dental fear, and dental anxiety.
Basically, if you have dental anxiety you are worried about the unknown, you don’t know what to expect and it gives you anxiety. Dental fear is knowing you don’t like the dentist, knowing what they are going to do and wanting to run away, and dental phobia is fear escalated and accompanied by nausea and can sometimes be irrational.
What Can Someone With Dental Phobia Do?
Anxiety and phobias can be caused by a mental problem such as someone who already suffers from anxiety or a traumatic experience at the dentist, which can sometimes happen if you have to have a procedure and don’t go numb or a drill just scares you to death. These types of phobias can be overcome but it takes some distractions, a good pep talk to yourself, and most of the time medication.
