Set Your Dental Fear Free

If, out of fear, you put off necessary dental treatment, you’re not alone. Nearly 75% of adults in the U.S. are projected to experience some fear of visiting a dentist. Between 10%–20% of Americans suffer from dental anxiety of that proportion. That’s between 30 million and 60 million people! It is a phenomenon that is universal. Perhaps in the past you have had a traumatic experience. Or perhaps you only saw the dentist when you were in severe pain and associate hurting with going to the dentist. Whatever the root of your fear, it doesn’t mean you have to suffer from dental issues. Instead of, visit oral surgeon in OKC for treatment.

A more severe disease than anxiety is dental phobia. People who are typically suffering from dental phobia go to the dentist only when they think that they have no other option; because they are in so much pain. This sensation can leave you feeling panic hit or literally terrified, and as a consequence, your oral health may be extremely detrimental. For years or even decades people follow a routine care for oral health who suffer from phobia. Before a dental visit, some people can’t sleep at night or leave suddenly as quickly as they’re in the dental chair. Some find it difficult to even breathe when the dentist leans back and looks at their teeth, never mind getting any kind of operation done! These anxiety emotions are caused by fear. Typically, fear of a traumatic past experience and can come from fear of pain or anesthetic injection they may need for treatment, fear of not being able to see or control what is happening in their mouth, fear of not being able to breathe and the list goes on. If this describes your dentist’s emotions, fortunately, there’s hope!

Signs of Dental Phobia

• Night sleep disturbance before the dental examination.
• Nervous feelings that escalate in the waiting room of the dental office.
• Cry or feel physically sick at the dentist’s very thought.
• Intense uncomfortable thinking or actually placing items in your mouth during dental therapy or suddenly feeling it’s hard to breathe.

Causes for Dental Phobia and Anxiety

Fear of suffering. Fear of pain is a common reason for dentist avoidance. Usually, this fear comes from unpleasant and painful experience. Dental procedures these days are generally pain-less because of advanced treatment procedures.

Fear of injections or fear that the injection will not function. Many individuals are frightened by needles, particularly when they are inserted into their mouth. Outside of this fear, others fear that the anesthesia has not yet taken impact or that it was not a sufficiently big dose to remove any pain before the dental operation starts.

Fear of side effects from anesthetics. Some individuals are afraid of anesthesia’s potential side effects such as dizziness, feeling weak, or nausea. Others don’t like local anesthetics connected with numbness or “fat lip.”

Inconvenience and personal space loss. Many individuals are uneasy with the dentist’s or hygienist’s physical closeness to their face. Others may be aware of the appearance of their teeth or possible odors to the body.

Contact oral surgeon in OKC at Oral and Facial Surgery of Oklahoma for help.

**Disclaimer: This site content is not intended to be medical advice nor establishes a doctor-patient relationship.