Dento - what?

Photo credit: Intelligent Dental.com

by Andrea Harris

I have some weird phobias: popular amusement park characters, kids in Halloween costumes, door-to-door salespeople, airport security scanners (I beep. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.)... Are you feeling me here?  

Most of my quirky fears aren’t really that life impeding, but for a lot of people, their dentophobia is keeping them from getting adequate medical care.   

                                           

Dentophobia? Yep. You read it right.  It’s a real thing.  (Shhh.  I have a little mild dentophobia myself. Add that to the list.)  In fact, it’s estimated that as many as 75% of US adults experience some degree of dental fear, from mild to severe. Approximately 5 to 10 percent of U.S. adults are considered to experience dental phobia; that is, they are so fearful of receiving dental treatment that they avoid dental care at all costs. Many dentally fearful people will only seek dental care when they have a dental emergency, such as a toothache or dental abscess. People who are very fearful of dental care often experience a “cycle of avoidance,” in which they avoid dental care due to fear until they experience a dental emergency requiring invasive treatment, which can reinforce their fear of dentistry.  

There are plenty of reasons people experience dental phobia.  Frankly, dentists get a bad rap in the media.  And have you ever heard about what a great time your friend had a routine cleaning?  Of course not!  You hear about the time the needle accidently hit a nerve or the nightmare implant Uncle Frank had in 1982.  Yikes!  Some people just aren’t comfortable with the perceived lack of control under any kind of anesthesia or the fear that the dentist won’t stop when you’re in pain.   

But really, there are so many dental tools that can make your experience at the dentist infinitely more relaxed and pleasant. Gone are the days of the giant drills, clunky pliers, and massive needles.  Frankly, modern dentistry can be a nearly painless experience.  Remember the time I was denied laughing gas at the “other guy’s” and almost lost my mind? It’s 2013, kids. I want my laughing gas.  And trust me, if your hand is near my mouth,  you’d want me to have my laughing gas, too.  

According to WebMD, new medications and products help reduce pain during dental work. Topical anesthetic gels and dental patches used to numb gums keep patients comfortable during injections and deep cleanings. Nitrous oxide ("laughing gas") relaxes patients during more involved procedures. So does intravenous conscious sedation, which eases pain and discomfort while keeping you awake with medications given through an intravenous line placed in either the hand or arm. Frankly, that sounds dreamy to me!  I just want to take a little nap and wake up with fixed teeth.

Because a little distraction goes a long way, iPods for your listening pleasure, big-screen televisions, iPads, and virtual reality glasses that put your eyes and mind in another realm are common items in the modern dentist's office. So is calming décor: fresh flowers, miniature waterfalls, and bright, inviting wall colors.  Have you been to Dr Matthews’ office lately?  I can never decide whether to gaze out the window at the mountain view or watch the gorgeous landscapes go rolling by on the big screens hanging from the ceiling.  It’s like a spa... only with fluoride...

To truly calm your fears, it never hurts to remember that the dentist is a person who cares as much about your comfort as your teeth. "Look at the doctor as someone who's also a friend," says David Hershkowitz, DDS (Associate chair of the Department of Cariology & Comprehensive Care at NYU).  I think the same thing goes for the staff at a dental office and Dr. Matthews has some of the nicest hygienists and dental assistants I’ve ever met.  Let’s just say that any dental office who gives you a birthday gift because you spent your bday  week in the dentist chair having emergency work done is just fine by me!   

So let’s get down to the nitty gritty.  Let’s say you’re a good old fashioned dentophobe. Dr. Hershkowitz has these suggestions for talking to your dentist. If he doesn't respond or comply with your requests, find another one.

Give a cue:  Establish a sign, such as raising your hand, to let your dentist know if you're uncomfortable and need him to stop working immediately.  Dr. Matthews is great about that. I don’t think I’ve ever had work done when he didn’t tell me to let him know immediately if I was in too much pain.

Be prepared: Ask your dentist in advance what you can expect during your visit and how procedures, such as injections, are handled. "There's nothing wrong with asking the doctor, "What will you do to let me know I'm in control?'" says Hershkowitz.

Talk it over: "A good dentist should begin a visit by asking you open-ended questions about what bothers you so he or she knows what not to do," Hershkowitz says. A simple "Tell me about any difficulties you've had during past dentist visits" may help you open up and relax. "If you talk about it first, it will remove the anxiety."

So while I will surely never love beeping my way through airport security and amusement park characters will probably always send me running in the other direction, I’m going make sure that my mild dentophobia doesn’t keep me from getting the dental care I need.  Are you?