Dental Fear
Overcoming the Fear of Dentists
Dental Fear Management Casula
Everyone feels scared at some point in life.
Activities, events, and the things in life can stress you out and make you feel uneasy.
Going to the dentist is no different. For many people, the anxiety is temporary and goes away when their procedure begins.
Others, though, may experience a more severe sense of dental anxiety that goes beyond normal levels of stress.
Signs of Dental Fear
People with dental fear may experience the following:
- Sweating
- Racing heartbeat
- Heart palpitations
- Low blood pressure
- Fainting
- Crying
- Panic attacks
- Anger
- Visible distress
- Withdrawal, not speaking to anyone
- Aggression
- Trouble sleeping before your appointment
- Nervousness that gets worse over time
- Constant, nagging worry
- Feeling overwhelmed
- Racing thoughts
Anxious patients will routinely skip dental appointments and may find it difficult to attend to their dental treatments.
How Dental Fear Affects Your Health
When something scares you, what do you do? Avoid it at all costs! Going to the dentist, getting preventive care, and addressing issues are critical to your dental and overall health.
Letting your dental fear hold you back from going to the dentist or getting recommended treatments can lead to negative outcomes, such as:
- Stained and discoloured teeth
- Chipped, broken, and cracked teeth
- Gum (periodontal) disease
- Gum recession
- Cavities and tooth decay
- Oral pain
- Tooth loss
Not to mention the symptoms and risk factors for various other dental-related issues (like TMJ, and even oral cancer) that will go undetected or untreated.
Going to the dentist is only for your benefit. Keeping this fact top of mind is important for your journey in overcoming your dental fears.
Managing Dental Fear
If you wonder if you should talk with your dentist about your fears and worries, the answer is definitely YES.
If your dentist knows your fears, we can better work with you to determine the best methods to make you less nervous and more relaxed.
Here are some ways to help you cope:
- Ask your Casula dentist to explain what’s happening at every step of the appointment so that you can prepare for what’s in store.
- Establish a stop signal, like raising your hand to let your dentist know that you’d like them to stop what they’re doing. Use it once you become uncomfortable, want to rinse your mouth or need to catch your breath.
- If sounds are the problem, use earbuds to listen to your favourite music.
Dental Fear Management in Casula
Dental visits are not as dreadful as you think they are. Their goal is to keep your oral health on track. If you’re trying to overcome your dental fear, keep the tips discussed to make your appointment comfortable as possible.
Visit your dentist Casula today!
To know more about dental fear management in Casula, call us on (02) 9199 9695 or request your appointment online.
We are located at Shop 17A Casula Mall, 1 Ingham Drive in Casula.
Dental FAQ’s
Listed below are the most commonly asked questions we receive from our patients.
Who can suffer from dental fear?
Dental fear affects people of all ages. From children who have unpleasant experiences with dentists in the past and grow to fear dental procedures to adults who have never seen a dentist in their life, anyone can suffer from dental fear, including you.
Is dental fear common?
Several people fear the dentist so intense that they can be considered people with dental phobia. So yes, dental fear, as we can conclude, is way more common than it really needs to be.
What are the symptoms of dental fear?
Even though everyone experiences dental fear in different ways, some of the most common signs for this type of fear include:
- Feeling physically ill just by thinking about visiting the dentist
- Trouble sleeping before a dental procedure or exam
- Nervousness that intensifies while waiting to be examined
- Having difficulty breathing or feeling panic when objects are placed inside your mouth during dental appointments