Overall, it’s very normal to have dental anxiety. Somewhere between fifty to eighty percent of Americans suffer from the issue! That said, you may not know the reason for your dentist-related fears. It’d be good to grasp your phobia’s cause in that case. Doing so will help you see how a sedation dentist can address the issue. Luckily, your local dental practice can help you out. To that end, here’s a summary of dental phobia’s signs, causes, and the proper response.
What are the Signs of Dental Phobia?
Keep in mind that everyone reacts differently to stressful stimuli. Some with a dental phobia, for instance, can manage to get through dental visits. Meanwhile, others may skip these appointments altogether. You thus shouldn’t overly generalize a phobia’s symptoms.
Even so, there are common signs that point to a dental phobia. These include the following:
- Chills, shivering, trembling, or shaking.
- Dizziness and lightheadedness, sometimes accompanied by nausea
- Excessive sweating, also known as hyperhidrosis
- Heart palpitations
- Shortness of breath, also known as dyspnea
- Upset stomach or indigestion
What Causes Dental Phobia?
A fear of the dentist can have a variety of causes. Still, the most probable ones are typically:
- Family History – Your odds of having a dental phobia increase if you have a family member with a phobic or anxiety disorder. In that scenario, you may have more stress than others due to a gene mutation.
- Embarrassment – Some patients feel strange about a dentist being close to their face. Yet others may worry about how their teeth look or how their breath smells.
- Feelings of Helplessness –When you lie in a chair and have your mouth open for an extended period, it’s easy to feel a loss of control.
- Past Traumatic Experiences – If you’ve had a negative trauma related to the dentist, it may have caused your dentophobia. These experiences can include a fear of the dentist as a child, having dental procedures performed without consent, or receiving a service that caused pain.
How Should You Respond?
To keep your anxiety from disrupting oral care, try getting sedation dentistry. It’ll help you receive needed treatment without fear or tension.
Per its name, sedation dentistry calms or ‘sedates’ you for various dental procedures. This approach ensures you feel calm and at ease when receiving care. That way, the dentist can work smoothly and without major disruptions. The experience may even help you disconnect your anxious feelings from dental visits.
Ultimately, dental anxiety is normal but shouldn’t hold you back from the dentist. Therefore, consider the causes above and weigh whether sedation dentistry could fix things!
About the Practice
Dentistry by Brand is based in Garland, TX. Led by Drs. Craig Baginski, Kyle Baginski, and Ben Donnelli, our practice emphasizes comprehensive dentistry for all ages. To that end, we perform preventive, cosmetic, and restoration work for adults and kids alike. You can even trust us to provide dental sedation to ease your fear of the dentist’s office. For more information or to book a visit, you can reach us on our website or by phone at (972)-495-9009.