Dental phobia is common throughout the United States. It can occur for many different reasons and in all age groups. It is crucial to learn the signs of dental phobia so that you can take the steps to ensure that you can manage your fear and protect your oral health. Here are a few things to keep in mind to help you understand the signs that come along with dental phobia.
Signs of Dental Phobia
It is important to understand the signs that are associated with dental phobia, because it will help you to identify when to take the steps to handle your dental anxiety. There are many signs that are common for dental phobia. It is important to keep in mind that every person is different and will not necessarily exhibit the same signs as someone else with dental phobia. Here are a few signs of dental phobia.
Avoiding Dentist
If you find that you are extremely reluctant to make or attend a dental appointment, you need to look into the reasons behind your reluctance. It is certainly possible that you have dental anxiety, which is why you have been avoiding the necessary dental visits. Unfortunately, this can lead to an exacerbation of issues as you will experience dental issues more frequently when you don’t consistently see your dentist.
Sweating
Breaking out into sweat is extremely common for individuals that have dental phobia. If you notice that you sweat more than usual when you think about or attend dental exams, it is likely that you are experiencing some level of dental-related anxiety.
Crying
Feeling like you want to cry or even physically crying can indicate high levels of dental anxiety. Pay attention to your emotions surrounding dental visits in order to identify the presence of dental phobia. This is an especially common sign in children that are experiencing dental anxiety.
Withdrawal
If you withdraw into yourself at the though of dental visits, it is possible that you are reacting to anxiety caused by the visit. This is just one common reaction to anxiety. Other reactions include feeling unnecessarily angry or overwhelmed.
Visible Distress
There are many visible signs of distress that may indicate the presence of dental phobia. Fidgeting and facial expressions can indicate that you are experiencing anxiety about the dentist. Visible signs of distress may be easier to notice in other people, so this can be a valuable way to determine if your child or another loved one is experiencing dental anxiety.
Fainting
Fainting is an extremely severe sign that you have dental anxiety. If you have fainted while in the dentist’s office, it is possible that you should take the steps to communicate with your dental office regarding strategies for dealing with your fear of the dentist. Medication may become necessary to ensure that you can protect the health of your teeth.
Racing Heartbeat
A racing heartbeat is incredibly common when it comes to experiencing feelings of anxiety. Pay attention to your heart rate, especially when it increases while you are thinking about or attending a dental exam. If you experience a racing heartbeat in regard to dental work, it is possible that you have dental phobia.
Difficulty Sleeping
Difficulty sleeping is another common sign of dental anxiety. This is often most applicable when you have problems sleeping the night immediately before your dental appointment. When you don’t have a sufficient amount of sleep prior to your appointment, it will often be much more difficult to have a positive dental experience, which can increase your dental fear over time.
Feeling Physically Ill
It is common to feel physically ill when you are particularly anxious. Pay attention to when these feelings arise. If you feel physically ill whenever you attend a dental visit or think about your dental exam, it is highly likely that you have some level of dental anxiety.
Trouble Breathing
Anxiety or extreme fear can make it extremely difficult to breathe. It is important to practice breathing techniques to reduce the likelihood that your breathing will increase your anxiety. Pay attention to feelings of a constricted chest or difficulty breathing, because they may indicate dental phobia.
Managing Your Dental Phobia
The ideal strategies can go a long way toward helping you to get a handle on your dental phobia. This will ensure that you are able to visit your dentist as necessary in order to protect your oral health. Implementing meditation into your daily routine can go a long way toward providing stress relief. However, you likely need to practice in advance of your visit, because your meditation will likely be ineffective when the first time you try it is in the dental office. Your dentist will likely have various options for medication to ease your anxiety throughout the dental visit, though you will need to consult with us beforehand to identify the options. Hypnosis and deep breathing are other techniques that can help you to manage your dental phobia.
Causes of your Fear
Dental phobia is a level of anxiety that sees many different causes. If an individual has had negative past experiences with a dental visit, such as a painful procedure, they are highly likely to develop dental anxiety and avoid additional visits to the dentist. Unfortunately, this often causes the problem to snowball because fewer dental visits lead to more problems with the teeth, which can result in additional negative experiences. Resistance to a loss of control or fear of pain can also be the cause behind your dental anxiety or phobia.
At Bismarck Advanced Dental Implants, we strive to provide the services that you need to improve the health of your teeth. These services should still be attainable even if you have dental phobia. If you think that you have dental-related anxiety, you should contact our office for more information regarding the best ways to handle your dental anxiety. To learn more about dental phobia and our strategies for helping you handle your dental phobia, contact our expert team at Bismarck Advanced Dental Implants today!