A phobia essentially refers to a type of anxiety disorder, which can further be demarcated as a resolute and characteristically irrational fear of a given object or situation due to which a person participates in the act of evading, hence the reference to “irrational fears”. Innumerable people suffer from this seemingly general phobia, that of visiting the dentist. An enervating experience, it often becomes the very causative organism of an extremely high rate of absenteeism from the regular dental visits. Then again, who knew that this insignificant fear could lead to not only plaque and dental caries, but also more persistent health issues including heart diseases! Even though cardiac complications count only at the end of the list, it is nevertheless imperative to let go of this phobia and initiate a regular regime to practice and maintain an effective dental care routine.
The very fact that one may not require to undergo any of those petrifying or excruciating procedures, should bring cheer to most faces and joy to the heart. On the other hand, getting acclimatized to the dental clinic and its techniques and processes is a better idea than trying to elude the obvious. The very roots of this irrational fear arise from contributing factors such as previous dental visits inducing pain, discomfort and/or embarrassment of any sort. The phobia may not necessarily be linked to past experiences with dentists alone, it might also be deeply associated with any prior traumatic experience, whether physical, social or emotional.
It has been researched that even a general fear of authoritative figures might produce a similar effect in some individuals. Various tips to overcome dental phobia have been developed, comprising of careful selection of your personal dentist, as someone who is more acceptable towards your apprehension. Second is the convention of sedatives or anaesthetic caution during complicated dental procedures. Seeking external support, in the form of counselling, behaviour management or even hypnosis are indispensable options.
Nevertheless, the simplest method is to remain calm, aided by music, meditation and by concentrating on positive situations associated with dentists.
