Dental phobias and anxiety can be caused by a variety of factors.

The fear of pain is one of the most common reasons for avoiding the dentist. An early dental experience that was unpleasant or painful or dental stories they have been told by others usually causes this fear. Most dental procedures today are considerably less painful or even pain-free due to advances in dentistry over the years.

They may be afraid of injections or fear that the injection will not work. There are many people who are afraid of needles, especially those inserted into their mouths. In addition to this fear, others worry that the anesthesia hasn’t yet taken effect or wasn’t strong enough to eliminate the pain before the dental procedure.

There may be a fear of anesthetic side effects. It is common for people to be concerned about potential side effects of anesthesia, such as dizziness, feeling faint, or nausea. Many people dislike the numbness or “fat lip” associated with local anesthetics. No matter what, there are a number of reasons why people avoid dentists, but solutions are available.

There may be feelings of helplessness and loss of control experienced by patients. It’s common for people to feel these emotions in a dental chair with an open mouth.

Dental anxiety may be caused by embarrassment and loss of personal space. It is common for people to feel uncomfortable when the dentist or hygienist is physically close to their faces. Other people may be self-conscious about the appearance of their teeth or the odor of their mouths.

There are dentists who specialize in treating fearful patients who go out of their way to create a non-threatening environment for their patients. Simple methods are used by the best dentists to enhance that feeling of control. A gentle explanation is given about what the patient can expect to feel and how long it will last. Patients are frequently asked for permission to continue. Patients can stop the procedure at any time if they feel uncomfortable. Breaks are taken at the request of the client. Counseling is another option for conquering dental fear and anxiety.

You are not alone if you fear going to the dentist. Anxiety or fear prevents between 9% and 20% of Americans from visiting the dentist. There is no doubt that it is a universal phenomenon.

Anxiety is a less serious condition than a dental phobia. The experience leaves people feeling panicked and terrified. It is clear to people with a dental phobia that the fear is irrational, but they cannot do much about it. As a result, they will do everything in their power to avoid going to the dentist. In most cases, people with dental phobias only go to the dentist when they are forced to do so by extreme pain. It may be necessary in some cases to seek psychiatric consultation if the anxiety or phobia is pathologic.

Dentophobia, also known as odontophobia, is a fear of dentists. A person with dentophobia may experience extreme anxiety when thinking about going to the dentist or while in the dentist’s office. Phobias are anxiety disorders. Excessive fear is caused by events or situations that aren’t actually harmful. A specific phobia disorder is dentophobia. An individual’s fear is triggered by a specific situation (going to the dentist).

The staff at Friends Family Dental and Orthodontics do everything in their power to mitigate dental phobia and make patients feel comfortable. All you need to do is explain how you are feeling, and we will accommodate your needs – we don’t judge. For more information, contact us or schedule an appointment online! We serve patients from Brooklyn NY, Manhattan NY, Bronx NY, Hoboken NJ, West New York NJ, and surrounding areas.