2 minute read
Are you afraid of the dentist?
Photo: Pexels Stock
What can you do if you are?
Advertisement
Dentophobia, or the fear of the dentist, is a common problem for Canadians. From mild anxiety at the sight of a needle, to fainting on the doorstep, between 40-60% of the population suffers from some form of dental anxiety.
Imagine being a toddler
Your mom says, “Tomorrow we’re going to the dentist, and I need you to be brave for me!” But yet, yesterday, no one told you to be brave for the supermarket. You remember hearing your mom say she hates the dentist. On your way to the appointment, mom says, “If you behave, I’ll buy you ice cream!” So... now you know for sure it will be terrible!
Dr. Liran Levin, a professor at the School of Dentistry, says, “As parents, we’re trying to help our children make the experience better, but sometimes we do the opposite.”
Prevention is easiest
Levin suggests that the best anti-phobia remedy is to prevent it in our children, taking your child to the dentist as soon as they get their first teeth and treating it like any other outing. He says, “I have toddlers sit in the chair, I count their teeth and look around their mouths and they get a prize. It’s a good first experience.”
He also reminds us that if we take care of our teeth at home, our visits to the dentist will be easier.
Options?
For those who already have a fear of the dentist, Levin has some good news. There are options for your treatment.
Know your dentist
Janice Waddell, who has worked at the School of Dentistry for over ten years, suffers from dentophobia. Her fear stems from traumatic experiences as a child in India. She says, “I ultimately had to force myself to go to the dentist despite my fear because I was experiencing some pretty major dental issues.”
She says it helped her to know her dental team personally and that she has improved over the last decade. “Now my kids are sometimes getting their teeth checked while I’m in the chair, so I have to work hard to appear calm so I don’t scare them off dentistry too!”
General anesthetic
Sometimes if you really need dental treatment, general anesthetic can be effective. The downside is that it doesn’t treat the phobia, so you’ll need anesthetic each time you go in.
Hypnotism
Hypnotism is one of the least-known treatments for anxiety, but it can calm patients enough to bring them to the chair and even replace anesthetic for all procedures.
Dr. David Kelner is one of the few dentists in Alberta licensed to practice medical hypnotism. He says it’s more than a way to deal with dentophobia. “It can act as local anesthetic, numbing whatever area we’re working in, or it’s strong enough to fully replace anesthetics for most procedures.”
Kelner cautions that while it can be as effective as anesthesia, it can also have side-effects or not work for some people.
Psychology
Finally, if your fear or the dentist stops you from getting treatment, you may want to consider enlisting help: talking to a counsellor. They can help get to the bottom of your fear.
