Our solutions to overcome your fear of the dentist

Fear of the dentist goes by many names. From dentophobia to stomatophobia for the most developed cases, this apprehension of dentists can have serious consequences on your health in general.

In this article, the specialists at our dental clinic in Montreal show you how to overcome your dentist phobia with a few simple tips.

What is dentophobia?

Dentophobia (or fear of the dentist) refers to the anxiety that some people may feel about visiting their dentist or receiving dental care.

The causes of dentophobia vary from one individual to another and are often wrongly considered irrational, as people sometimes have difficulty putting their fear into words.

You should know that fear of the dentist is a widespread phenomenon. It is estimated that around 30% of patients suffering from a fear of dentists have experienced a traumatic event during dental treatment in their childhood.

If you are in a dental emergency situation , but you are still hesitant to make an appointment. Or if you have to muster up all your courage to walk through the door of your dental clinic. Know that you are not alone and that solutions exist to overcome your fear.

What are the signs of dentist phobia?

Dentist phobia affects children and adults and generally manifests itself as temporary anxiety and a certain amount of apprehension. Here are some signs:

You suffer from insomnia the day before your dentist appointment.

You experience a feeling of “  dry mouth  ”.

You feel an increase in your heart rate and physical discomfort at the thought of having a procedure, even if it is a simple dental exam .

You avoid your routine visits.

You frequently postpone your appointments for fear of seeing your dentist.

You neglect your dental problems, even when they cause toothache .

Fear of the dentist can be a real obstacle to adequately monitoring the oral health of those affected. If you think you are suffering from it, it is important to find solutions to your discomfort so as not to compromise your health.

How to stop being afraid of the dentist?

Different solutions are available to you if you want to overcome your fear of the dentist.

You will find something for all affinities depending on your preferences. After discussing it with a health specialist, nothing prevents you from combining several in order to put all the chances on your side.

Discuss your fears with your dentist

The simplest solution to knowing how to stop being afraid of the dentist is… simply to talk about it with him/her. Your dentist is in fact the person best able to understand your feelings and ensure that your experience is as pleasant as possible.

Verbalizing your fears is undoubtedly an essential step towards appeasement. Discussing your concerns openly with your dentist is therefore the best way to put an end to your fear.

At the Mont-Royal Dental Center, our dentists are used to caring for patients who are anxious at the mere thought of receiving dental care . By showing empathy and being attentive to the stress you may be feeling, your dentist will be able to adapt to your situation and be very careful with you, without any judgment. If necessary, he or she may also prescribe medication to help you reduce your apprehension.

It is also interesting to share your possible bad past experiences, to go to the appointment accompanied by a friend or to set up a signal between you and your dentist.

Medications and conscious sedation

Medications with anxiolytic or relaxing properties can also help reduce your fear of the dentist. Medicinal solutions exist, but must be prescribed by your dentist in advance of your appointment. These can generally be taken the day before the consultation or during it, or both.

In addition to medications, conscious sedation based on nitrous oxide (the “famous” laughing gas) can be used. The principle is simple: just breathe this anxiolytic gas and after a few minutes you will feel completely relaxed. One of the main advantages is the absence of side effects, with the effects fading within minutes.

Another type of conscious sedation can be achieved intravenously by administering an anesthetic based on morphine derivatives.

In both cases, this approach simply reduces the patient’s fear and limits pain, such as that of the injection or that caused by the instruments.

General anesthesia

When the fear of the dentist is paralyzing and none of the previous solutions seem to work, more significant solutions can be put in place.

In certain situations, general anesthesia may therefore prove necessary to preserve the oral health of patients. However, this will only be offered in the event of hospitalization and serious intervention requiring, for example, complex tooth extraction .

Use hypnosis

Increasingly used, even in the field of medicine, hypnosis can be the solution to help you overcome your fear of the dentist.

This is a gentle method capable of helping you overcome many fears and apprehensions.

Contrary to some popular beliefs, hypnosis cannot be imposed on you. For this to work, you need to be receptive to it and open to being hypnotized.

Some studies recommend hypnosis to treat many fears and phobias, such as that of heights, animals or even the dentist.

Use acupuncture

Acupuncture is perfect to use alongside hypnosis or to incorporate into your routine before your visit to your general dentist .

Although it is mainly known for its analgesic value, that is to say, short- and long-term pain relief, acupuncture is also relaxing .

Using acupuncture means benefiting from a sedative and calming effect, by acting directly on brain activity. Thus, your stress decreases and at the same time, so does your fear of the dentis