If you type into Google ‘fear of the….’ the first thing that comes up in the list below is ‘fear of the dentist’. It’s one of the most common fears or phobias out there.
Dentophobia is a fear of the dentist. People with this specific phobia feel anxious when they think about going for dental treatment or actually visiting the dentist.
The particular fears of visiting the dentist vary from person to person. Some people have their fear triggered by the sound of the drill, or the fear of needles in sensitive areas of their mouth. For some it is the loss of control and the unknown. For others it is the fear of pain or a previous traumatic experiences.
Extreme dental phobia
I am one of these people. For years I put off going due to a previous bad experience, which had made me fearful of something similar happening again. The longer I left it, the more stressed about it I became. I was also embarrassed about the length of time it had been since my last visit.
I know I’m not alone in this. Many people have an extreme dental phobia, and it’s a real thing. It’s not just being nervous or uncomfortable. It’s a crippling fear that affects your mental and physical well-being.
Dental anxiety, or dental fear, is estimated to affect approximately 36% of the population, with a further 12% suffering from extreme dental fear
Hill KB, Chadwick B, Freeman R, et al. Adult Dental Health Survey 2009
Visits to the dentist as a child
Generally, but not always, dental phobias generally develop from childhood, where negative experiences may have left us with feelings of anxiety about going to the dentist.
Growing up, I wasn’t scared of the dentist. My mum would take me for my regular check-up and I had the usual worries that kids have. I thought I would get scolded because I wasn’t brushing properly or eating too many sweets, but I never had any fillings or painful treatments.
The only thing that I had to contend with was having a brace fitted, which was painful when tightened, but more an inconvenience than anything else.
The cause of my fear of the dentist
About 10 years ago I was suffering toothache from one of my wisdom teeth. It went on for a long time and wasn’t getting any better.
I was scared of a dental visit but needed treatment. I was worried about going because I knew deep down that the tooth would need to come out. The thought of sitting in the dental chair with an unknown person peering into my mouth scared the hell out of me.
I tried everything I could to not go. I’d rub clove oil on my gums, hoping for some relief. I’d take painkillers and try and forget about it. Eventually, enough was enough – I had no choice.
I made an appointment with a drop-in dentist as my family dentist was a long way away. The dentist said that he would have to extract the tooth which was causing me pain. He was rude and impatient and yanked, pulled and twisted for what seemed like a lifetime. I walked out of the surgery upset and in shock.
Fear of dentists
Without a doubt, the reason I avoided the dentist for years was due to that experience.
Two of my teeth had cracked and broken since that visit, and I knew that I needed to get them fixed. They didn’t cause me any pain, although it was awkward to eat certain things. I knew that the longer I left it, the worse it would be.
I was scared of the procedures and the longer I left it, the more shame I felt that I hadn’t been. I knew I needed to go, but I just couldn’t bring myself to make an appointment.
Dental anxiety
It was something I worried about a lot and I knew I had to face my fear, but how could I do that when I was so scared of what might happen? What if they have to pull all of my teeth out? Would they find something serious? What if they judge me for neglecting my oral health or say that I had gum disease?
I knew that dentists check for oral cancer and the overall health of the mouth, and being the anxious, overthinking person that I am, I had thoughts that they would pick up on something serious that should have been picked up a lot earlier.
All of these thoughts would go round and round in my mind, but I would justify not going as my teeth weren’t causing me any dental pain.
I had convinced myself that my two broken teeth would either need root canals (which scared the life out of me!). Or even worse they wouldn’t be able to be saved and I’d be left with huge gaps in my teeth.
Furthermore, I convinced myself that the dentist would take one look in my mouth, and discover a load of other problems with my teeth.
I would have recurring dreams of my teeth falling out. In my dreams they would start to crumble and I would left with hardly any left. I would always wake up in the morning feeling relieved that they weren’t real. However, I was acutely aware of why I was having them.
Facing my fear of the dentist
When my son was younger I knew I had to take him to the dentist for his first check up. With this in mind, I went in to a local dental surgery (that I had walked past a thousand times and contemplated going in), registered us both and made an appointment for him with the dentist’s office.
I was told that I should take him along with me when I have my check up as it would be free. I knew then at that point I would have to bite the bullet and face my fear.
It took me a long time to make the call and set up an appointment. I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. Instead I would worry about it practically every day, running through worst case scenarios in my mind of what the dentist would say. How disappointed or disgusted they would be when they found out how long it had been since my last visit.
Making a dental appointment
Eventually, I emailed the dental office to make an appointment because I couldn’t face speaking to someone either on the phone or face-to-face. I wrote them a message to say that I hadn’t been for a while so wouldn’t have my records and said I was nervous about going. Straight away I received a call, which I let go through to voicemail as I was nervous to answer. The receptionist said that I should call back to make an appointment. I didn’t.
A few months later (after looking up everything I could on social media, and making myself more and more anxious by Googling images of rotten teeth) I made the call.
The day of the dental appointment
I was so nervous on the morning of my appointment, but equally relieved that I was finally doing something about it. I sat in the waiting room and tried not to burst into tears. I felt sick with nerves. The dental nurse came to collect me and took me to the room where a dentist was waiting for me.
I sat in the dentist’s chair and found it really hard to speak initially, my voice wobbling whilst I tried to blurt out some words. I confessed I hadn’t been for a long time as I was really scared. I waited for a lecture to come, but I wasn’t shamed or made to feel bad at all.
The dentist said that the two teeth that I was worried about could probably be fixed with composite filings and that I’d need my teeth cleaned and then made a decision about which one to sort out first. We agreed a dental plan and I booked in a dentist appointment with the dental hygienist to return for my treatment.
I cannot tell you how relieved I was to have actually done that first initial step. The fact that I even stepped foot in a dentist was a huge accomplishment for me! I think that was the hardest part of all. I’d spent all those years worrying myself sick over nothing.
First day of my treatment plan
When I returned for my first filling on the first day of my dental treatment I was extremely nervous, but the dentist was kind and reassuring and the whole dental team made sure I was comfortable. He numbed my gums and then administered the injection to numb the area even more, which wasn’t as bad as I had been imagining for all those years.
He drilled out the decay (which was more uncomfortable than painful) and then filled it in, leaving me with a perfect, white tooth. I booked myself in to sort out the next tooth straight away.
I have now been a number of times and I am very happy to say that I have fixed my teeth and I am no longer spending valuable time worrying about something that was completely unnecessary!
Overall it has been a positive experience, and I really wish I had done it sooner. Hindsight is a great thing! Now I am not scared when I call to book in my dental appointments.
The good news is that dental care has come a long way in recent years. Dental practices and equipment have vastly evolved using equipment to make procedures as painless and quick as possible.
Surgeries are much more welcoming these days with soft furniture, calming music and open space which help in the process of reducing anxiety.
Some popular methods used by dentists to help relax patients are hypnotherapy and guided meditation. Hypnotherapy and guided meditation are non-invasive methods of relaxation. They allow the anxious patient to enter into a state of mind in which they feel relaxed and willing to let the dentist perform treatment.
How to overcome dental anxiety
If you are also worried about going to the dentist, know that you’re not alone. There are ways to overcome your fear of the dentist, and to get the care you need without pain or judgment. Here are some tips that have helped me.
- Find a dentist who is gentle, compassionate, and understanding. Ask your friends or family for recommendations, or look online for reviews. The right dentist will have experience with anxious patients, and offer different levels of sedation if you need it.
- Communicate your fears with your dentist. Tell them what triggers your anxiety, what makes you comfortable, and what you expect from them. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, or to stop the procedure if you need a break. I told my dentist how nervous I was and he constantly checked in with me to see if I was ok and if I wanted to carry on. I felt supported and comfortable with what was going on.
- Bring a friend or a family member with you for support. Having someone you trust by your side can make you feel more relaxed and safe. They can also distract you with conversation, music, or jokes.
- Use relaxation techniques before and during your visit. Try deep breathing exercises, meditate, listen to soothing music, or use positive affirmations. Try to focus on the benefits of getting your teeth fixed, rather than the potential risks or pain. Listening to music or a podcast during a procedure can also be a great help.
- Try progressive muscle relaxation which is a relaxation technique that involves systematically tensing and then relaxing different muscle groups in the body. It is widely used to reduce stress, promote relaxation, and alleviate muscle tension.
- Reward yourself after your visit. Treat yourself to something nice, like a movie, a massage, or a shopping spree.
Make the call, you won’t regret it
I hope these tips help you as much as they have helped me. Try to remember that the dentist is there to help you and not judge you.
A good dentist will never make you feel bad or self-conscious about your teeth. What they should do is make you feel at ease and offer you comfort and a plan of action to fix them.
A common misconception about decayed teeth is that your dentist won’t have seen anything as bad in his or her life, which was one of my biggest fears. A lot of people seem to feel so bad about the state of their teeth that this can prevent them getting the treatment they need. It is highly unlikely that your dentist hasn’t seen teeth as bad as yours.
Going to the dentist is not something you should avoid or fear. Getting your teeth fixed can improve your health, your appearance and your confidence.
Dentists are professionals who care about your well-being and comfort, so don’t hesitate to make an appointment and take care of your teeth. You’ll be glad you did!
