Scared of Dentist but Need Treatment
Queen Health care provider guides you for healthy lifestyle.
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Dental phobia is among one of the top phobias in the world. Many people have and still are losing their permanent teeth due to this fear. But, this creates a barrier between the dentist and the patient. Dentist try to remove this barrier to provide you with his best facilities.
6 of the fears are as:
1. Fear of Needle/ Blood/ Anxiety
2. Fear of losing a tooth after dental treatment
3. Fear of caries spreading to adjacent teeth
4. Fear of teeth getting mobile after cleaning
5. Fear of getting another serious disease after dental treatment.
6. Past dental experience
1. Fear of Needle/ Blood/ Anxiety
1. Fear of Needle/ Blood/ Anxiety
It is always better to discuss your concerns and fears with your dentist so he/she can address them. Fear of needle is the most common fear among dental patients. Especially its occurrence is in patients between ages 0-16. Even some females and males also have extreme phobia. The biggest reason, that people usually try to frighten their children with injections. This generates a phobia in the young one’s mind that flourishes with every warning. Thus most children are difficult task for the dentist.
Luckily modern-day dentistry has evolved. Most dental procedures are under local anesthesia your dentist can use topical agents. These agents will numb the site of injection. They usually come in gel or spray forms. For people who are afraid of blood, needle, or any other object the dentist may ask the patient to close their eyes. Blindfolds or other distraction techniques may also be helpful. Positive reinforcement and reward giving methods are also in use. For anxious patients, the dentist takes specific anxiety control methods.
2. Fear of losing a tooth after dental treatment:
Many people have a misconception about losing teeth after any treatment. Some even didn't bother to visit dentist beacuse of it. Filling your carious teeth or getting endodontic treatment will prevent future caries. Modern dentistry provides a vast range of treatments for enhancing your smile. Your dentist will tell you other options even after extraction.
3. Fear of caries spreading to adjacent teeth:
Caries are not transmissible from one tooth to an other. Factors responsible for cavities can induce caries progression in the adjacent tooth. In some cases where there is a tilted tooth, the adjacent tooth may suffer. Dentists explain it as a situation that may cause an accumulation of food in the space between two teeth. That later cause caries. In another scenario such as tilted wisdom teeth brushing is quite difficult. this leads in debri collection and plaque formation. This accumuluated food cause caries in tooth next to the tilted tooth. Thats why dentists advice flossing on daily basis along with brushing.
4. Fear of getting teeth mobile after cleaning:
Usually, dentists recommend scaling once or twice a year. Daily proper brushing would not lead to dental problems earlier. If one didn’t maintain good hygiene it would lead to heavy food accumulation. This later converts into a hard substance called calculus. Calculus is not movable with simple brushing. Dentists suggest early scaling. The better gingival and periodontal health the more positive will be the response. In older patients with poor oral hygiene, roots are generally exposed and have calculus . When the calculus removes teeth lose the support and get mobile.
5. Fear of getting another serious disease after dental treatment:
This fear does have logic in poor and low literacy rate countries. Illegal practice is very common in sub-continent countries such as India and Pakistan. Quacks provide cheap quality treatment and play with the health of people. These practitioners usually themselves are unaware of hygiene protocols. Many lack facilities for sterilization and autoclave. Such dental clinics play a crucial role in the spread of diseases like Hepatitis.
Some other procedures like self-cure dentures are also causing serious health hazards. this practice is still common in various countries. These denture fixing chemical increase risk of cancer. Hence check the hygiene protocols of any clinic you chose. Make sure that you visit a qualified dentist.
6. Past Dental experience:
A bad memory always shows its reflection in your behavior. A patient’s bad experience could be the cause of his reluctance. Such patients need care and kindness. Though its a tough challenge for the doctor. Doctor has to be very patient in such dealings.
If a patient explains his concerns at first, a good doctor will have a plan to make the patient at ease. Getting such patient into confidence is always a big challenage for the doctor.
Empathy, with hygiene protocols and listening to the problem will please the patient. You should also keep in mind treatment affordability. Since dental facilities are quite expensive throughout the world.
Hope now you guys can overcome your dental fears and will be visiting your dentists before it gets too late.
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