Fear of dentist

I have been afraid of the dentist for a very long time. How are things today?
The dental techniques have improved a lot in the past years, so that the modern dental treatment can be completely painless. However, people are still afraid of the dentist. If you have not visited the dentist in a long time, you will notice that things have improved since your last visit. You can be relaxed, as the dental procedures and the security ones are much better, and the equipment is updated.

Why am I afraid of the dentist?
The fear of dentists can have various connotations, different for every person. It will help you very much to identify your own fears related to the dentist. Some people have fears focused on different treatment stages – such as, they are afraid of the pain caused by the fillings. Others hate the idea of a dental treatment altogether. Some of them dislike the thought of not being able to control themselves, others are afraid they will be treated as a product on the assembly line. Also, the sounds and odours specific to a dentistry practice determine certain people to remember unpleasant experiences from their childhood. A small number of persons are truly terrified by the dental treatment. The good news is that more and more dentists understand the patients’ fears and, through a combination of kindness and tactfulness, can do a lot to turn the dental treatment into a normal and acceptable fact of life.

How do I choose my dentist?
The first fear you will have to admit to is the one that you are afraid of the dental treatment. If you could discuss about this with your friends or colleagues, you will probably find persons who have the same problem and who can recommend you a good dentist. A dentist personally recommended by a person who is afraid of the dental treatment is very likely to be a good choice.

Are there practices specialised in treating fearful patients?
Do not be afraid to contact several dentistry practices before you decide which one is most suited for you. It may be easier if a friend established the preliminary telephone contacts asking to talk to the practice manager and find out whether arrangements can be made for the fearful patients. If that practice is not good for you, do not settle an appointment and continue with your search until you find the appropriate practice. As you are a fearful person, you must find a dentist who will take good care of you. You may have to cover a longer distance, but it will be worth the effort, because you will let your fear aside. Sometimes, people and their fears change. Even though they may have finally found the appropriate dentist, there are persons who keep their antipathy towards the dentist, but they will have full trust in their dentist.

What will happen during my first meeting with the dentist?
The first meeting with the dentist will have to be a medical consultation. Look at it as an opportunity to get to know your dentist, the front-desk clerk and the nurse. Is the front-desk clerk helpful, does he/she greet you warmly? Does the dentist show interest in your problem? Is the nurse kind and understanding? If you like what you see and hear, you will want to settle a new appointment for a short treatment with the hygienist. Impose the rhythm you want and do not allow to be pressured by the things which make you unhappy.

Should I tell the dentist team that I am afraid?
Make sure that the dentist team knows you are afraid, so that they may be able to help you. Tell the dentist what you do not like in the dental treatment. If you think you know the reason, tell the dentist what caused that fear. Was it an unpleasant experience as a child? Was it a recent experience in a dentistry practice? Or is it more like a general feeling of concern and fear?

Should I eat before going to the dentist?
It is usually better to eat something before going to the dentist in order not to feel faint while you are in the medical chair. If a treatment is applied to you, which requires you not to have a full stomach, the doctor and the nurse will give all the details in advance.

Can I take something with me?
Listening to music is a wonderful way to relax. Some practices have music in the treatment rooms, but the best method is to come with your own music equipment, in order to listen to what you like. Thus, you can focus on the music – or on what you are listening to – and you will no longer hear the sounds made during the treatment. You will be able to get detached from the dental treatment as the sounds get your attention.

What else can I do to relax?
Focus on something else, other than the dental intervention; this can be a way to distract yourself. Try to solve a puzzle in your mind or make the daily schedule for the following holiday. Or try to play – by moving every toe in turns, trying not to move any other toe at the same time.

Can I ask the dentist to stop if I want him to?
Establish, in advance, with the dentist, a sign meaning “Stop now – I need a break!”. Usually, you can lift you hand and the intervention will be ceased for several minutes, time enough for you to take a break. Once you know the situation is under control, you will feel more confident.

How can I feel better during the treatment?
Is there a way for the dentist or the nurse to help me during the treatment? Would you like them to talk to you, to play some music for you or to describe exactly what they are doing while they are working? Inform them as concerns the ways by which they can distract your attention.

What about sedation?
The patients who feel like they need additional help can be given sedative medicines, these medicines being usually intravenous or IV sedatives. They may make you feel sleepy (a) and very relaxed (a). The treatment with such sedatives has positive effects, especially in the case of long interventions, as even though you are awake, you are very relaxed.

Will I be conscious during the sedation?
The dentist can talk to you, but the time will pass faster and, usually, you will not even feel that the intervention is taking place. As the sedative effect disappears within a few hours, you had better have someone look after you after leaving the dentistry practice.

Can I benefit of inhalo-sedation?
Inhalo-sedation or the “relative analgesic” is a mixture containing 25nitrous oxide, 25oxygen and 50air. This mixture is breathed in on every nostril and it is easily controlled by the dentist. You remain awake, but you are not bothered by the treatment or by the background noises. The recovery time is fast. The gaseous mixture leaves the body after only one or two breaths of oxygen.

Can I be asleep during the treatment?
The general analgesics are today accessible for the routine treatment. When general anaesthesia is required, the patients are sent to specialised hospitals or clinics where appropriate equipment is available.