Fear of the dentist (or oral surgeon!) is a real thing, and it’s common – you’re not alone in that apprehension you feel before someone sticks a drill in your mouth. In fact, a recent study suggested 1 out of every 4 adults experiences significant dental anxiety, and that among phobias, dental phobia is the most common.
Unfortunately, dental anxiety vs phobias isn’t very well understood, and that can contribute to even more fear. So let’s uncover the mysteries of dental fear and how you (and we!) can help you stay calm in the chair no matter the oral surgery.
Dental Anxiety
Dental anxiety is when there is stress, apprehension and fear around being in a dental office. It usually includes being anxious about the setting as well as what’s involved in the procedure you’re having done, like needles and drills. People with dental anxiety have often had a bad experience in the past.
Symptoms of dental anxiety include apprehension about scheduling and attending appointments, trouble sleeping the night before an appointment, nervousness, and sweating. People with dental anxiety often realize the fear isn’t rational, which makes dealing with it easier than its more severe counterpart: dental phobia.
Dental Phobia
Dental phobia is classified where fear of the dentist becomes so overwhelming it stops people from seeking care, and causes extreme symptoms like insomnia, panic attacks, nausea/vomiting, and even irrational behavior while at the office.
While people with dental phobias also often realize the fear is irrational, the severity of the phobia, which is often the result of dental trauma earlier in life, means that therapy is usually required in order to overcome the fear.
Why Are People So Scared of the Dentist?
So, why are we so scared of seeing dental specialists? One survey spoke to 18000 people worldwide about dental fear, anxiety and phobia and found:
- 61% of adults reported experiencing dental fear
- 4% have never been to a dentist because of dental fear
- 39% are afraid of the pain
- 24% dislike the smell of chemicals
- 21% are triggered by the sound of the drill
- 7% are afraid of being stuck in the dental chair
- 5% are nervous about keeping their mouth open for a long time
- 5% are afraid of the cost of dental procedures
- 5% generally hate everything about being at the dentist
How to Manage Your Fear of the Dentist
Most often, dental anxiety and phobia are a learned behavior. For instance, people can carry traumas around from things like:
- A parent with dental anxiety
- Knowing someone who had a terrible experience with a dental specialist
- Having had a terrible dental experience earlier in life
- Suffering previous facial trauma and reconstruction
There are other things that make people more susceptible to dental phobia, like:
- Children, especially non-verbal
- People with mental health conditions
- People who mistrust medical professionals
- People on the autism spectrum
The good news is, there are ways you can help yourself manage your fear of the chair. These include:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy to rewire responses to dental fear
- Deep breathing/meditation before and during the appointment
- Distractions like music, video, games, etc
- Using a weighted blanket when in the chair
- Establishing a safe word with your dentist
How Wilmington Oral Surgery Helps Patients Stay Calm
Anesthetics and sedation for oral surgery are two big keys to keeping patients calm and comfortable. That huge survey that looked at dental fear also looked at how people felt about anesthesia and sedation as a solution. They found:
- 60% of people want local anesthetics even though 45% said they found local anesthesia harmful.
- 80% of people said they would consider forgoing local anesthesia to reduce the cost of their dental procedure.
- 43% of people said they’d go into a lengthy oral surgery without sedation, and 2% said they would consider it as long as they had the option in case of severe pain.
How does Wilmington Oral Surgery help? We listen to what patients are saying! Our office offers all levels of sedation for surgical procedures, and our oral surgeon is experienced and certified to administer all form of anesthesia. Your course of treatment will be coordinated with you so you get the calm, comfortable experience you deserve with your safety and health as the utmost mitigating factors.
As for the cost of oral surgery, we understand that anesthesia is a significant part of the cost of any surgery. But our office has found a way to make surgeries more affordable with a different approach to how we bill anesthesia. Industry standard bills anesthesia in increments, meaning you might pay for 60 minutes even though you only needed 47. Our office only bills for the amount used, which results in significant savings for many of our patients.
In addition, our staff prides themselves on being friendly, calming presences with gentle hands and a compassionate attitude. Whether your toddler’s nervous about their first exam or your grandparent needs a couple dental implants installed but is afraid of the process, we can help.
