How to Stop Being Afraid of the Dentist: Advice from a Psychologist

Dentophobia is the fear of contact with the dentist and of visiting the dental office itself. Most often, this condition is triggered by emotional shocks. Even the most painless procedure can frighten a person so much that they faint. General advice on how to cope with this condition will be useless. It is necessary to address the direct source of the fear.

A person suffering from dentophobia experiences paralyzing fear that is very difficult to control. The signs of this condition include:

• Panic attacks;
• Rapid heartbeat;
• Difficulty breathing;
• Fainting;
• Aggression.

Most people, upon learning that their acquaintances are afraid of dentists, try to help with various pieces of advice. In principle, many of these tips are correct, but they are given without taking into account the specific nature of how the phobia develops. In most cases, the causes of uncontrollable anxiety are:

• A negative experience of visiting the dentist;
• Increased sensitivity of the oral cavity to various manipulations, which makes the patient subconsciously expect severe pain;
• Panic attacks due to a disrupted hormonal balance;
• An unfounded fear that an infection will be introduced through probes or mirrors;
• Fear of possible course-based treatment;
• Psychological trauma dating back to childhood;
• A gag reflex at the mere sight of dental instruments.

To understand the cause of the fear of dentists, it is necessary to pay attention to how you feel at the thought of visiting the dentist and to identify the exact sore point that gives rise to the negative emotions. After that, you can move on to finding a way to cope with the anxious state.

To avoid being afraid of dentists, it is important to familiarize yourself with the advice of specialists who study various phobias. Here are a few of them:

• Allow yourself to be afraid. When a person tries to forcibly suppress anxiety, it quickly returns with even greater force. In such situations, it is better to accept it as a normal reaction of the body. This will help keep the state manageable.
• Understand that the procedure will be painless. To avoid being afraid of the doctor, it is best to discuss your concerns with them right away and ask them to use a spray or gel for pain relief before the injection.
• Treat gradually. If the dental problem is extensive due to a long absence of treatment, it is better to carry out treatment step by step, starting with the simplest procedure – teeth cleaning.
• Analyze what will happen if you do not visit the dental office in time, because it is better to undergo a small procedure than extensive treatment.
• Go with a loved one. Such support can be a friend, husband, wife, mother, and others. Even the thought that a dear person is sitting outside the door will help you not be afraid.
• Search for a dental clinic yourself. To do this, it is not enough to simply call the clinic; it is better to go there yourself, look around inside, and possibly even schedule a consultation. This will help you understand the level of sanitation and the qualifications of the specialists. To understand how much you can trust a doctor, it is recommended to pay attention to their patience and manner of communication. An experienced specialist can reduce a patient's tension and dispel most of their anxiety.
• Ask the doctor to talk or to stay silent. For some, it is easier when the doctor describes every action, while for others, words only increase their anxiety. Therefore, it is best to discuss such matters with the specialist right away.
• Plan a reward for your courage. Regardless of age, it is easier to endure stressful situations when you know a reward awaits afterward.
• Make an appointment with a psychologist. If the anxiety is so strong that even being near a dental clinic feels impossible, you need to seek professional help in dealing with this condition.

Also, to relieve tension and be less afraid of a dental visit, you can take a sedative medication as prescribed by a doctor. Such medications are sold in pharmacies by prescription. But you should not use herbal-based medications such as Tenoten and Afobazol. You should start taking them as soon as the fear of an upcoming clinic visit arises.

When a visit to a specialist is postponed for a long time, it leads to even bigger problems. Sooner or later, they will still have to be addressed, but it is better to start doing so as early as possible. Then the problem will be much smaller. To avoid being afraid of dental visits, you need to have a preventive checkup regularly – every 6 months. It is much easier to treat a small spot of decay than to spend a long time visiting various offices afterward.