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Dental phobia is a lonely and unattractive condition. People are often unsympathetic thinking that sufferers are 'lazy' or 'dirty' because their teeth are discoloured and perhaps their breath smells.
How Does it Start?
Dental phobia is often a result of bad, painful
childhood experiences of visiting the dentist.
If these have not been overcome in childhood
and a reluctance to visit the dentist carries
on into adulthood, then only toothache is
likely to force the person to seek treatment
thereby reinforcing the feelings that dental
treatment is painful.
I know somebody who was extremely phobic.
When she was 7 years old she visited the
dentist and had to have a tooth extracted
and when she came round from the anaesthetic,
she vomited. Three or four years later a
dentist told her that if she didn't keep
her mouth wide open, the drill would go down
her throat.
After that, she never went to the dentist
voluntarily except when she desperately needed
treatment.
Dental Phobia Causes Suffering
One effect of not receiving regular dental
check-ups is that plaque builds up on the
teeth and eventually gum disease occurs.
People suffering from dental phobia can be
in agony from the pain caused by gum disease
and consequent mouth ulcers, making eating
difficult too. If the gum disease is not
treated the bone in the gums shrinks leaving
teeth loose and these may eventually fall
out.
As well as the physical pain, phobic people
also suffer from social embarrassment. They
know their teeth look dreadful, even worse
if they smoke. They often put their hands
in front of their mouth when they smile.
If their teeth are loose, they will eat carefully
and avoid food that might be difficult to
bite or chew.
Make no mistake, somebody with dental phobia
does not forget about their teeth. They probably
spend a great deal of time everyday thinking
and worrying about them.
What Can be Done?
There is little that friends or relatives
can do to help anybody suffering from dental
phobia unless they can get the person to
talk about it. Often a mixture of fear and
embarrassment will prevent them doing this.
If you are suffering from dental phobia,
what can YOU do to help yourself? You can't
forget your fears but you can confront them.
The first step is to find a sympathetic dentist.
Easier said than done if you are not prepared
to ask friends and relatives.
If you really cannot bring yourself to do
that, have a look in the Yellow Pages, work
out which dentist you will call. Look for
the ones that say they are used to nervous
or phobic patients. If you can't do it the
first time you look, get the directory out
again the next day. Keep getting out the
Yellow Pages until one day you have worked
yourself up to phoning.
When you phone for an appointment, ask to
speak to the dentist you will be seeing.
Insist upon it. If the dentist isn't prepared
to speak to you when he is free, try another
dental practice.
When you speak to the dentist, be honest,
say you are phobic. Tell her that just phoning
has brought on a panic attack. Say that your
teeth are in bad condition and that you have
severe gum disease. Telling the dentist all
this will make you feel better because you
know that she won't gasp in horror when she
sees your teeth. Actually, no matter how
bad your teeth and gums are, the dentist
has probably seen far worse so don't let
embarrassment stop you seeking treatment.
When you go for the first appointment, take
a sympathetic person with you to hold your
hand before you go in and to admire your
lovely clean teeth when you come out.
If you are in the UK, I would advise paying
to go privately to a dentist rather than
using a National Health Service one. You
are far more likely to receive all the pain
killing options available and to be given
more time.
What Can You Expect on Your First Visit
When you arrive for your appointment, the
dentist will probably talk to you to gauge
the extent of your phobia. This is not the
time to be big and brave - be absolutely
honest about your fears, that way the dentist
can help you.
Then there will be an examination. He will
look at your teeth, probably put a finger
on each one and try to 'wobble' them to see
if any are loose. Then an x-ray of your mouth
will be taken.
If you can cope on the first visit, the dentist
might do a little cleaning. That will give
you a tremendous psychological boost because
you will leave the dental surgery able to
smile freely, maybe for the first time in
years.
After that, your dentist will probably want
you to visit frequently. This will help to
break down your phobia.
Once you confront your fears and see a dentist,
you will feel better than you have done in
years because you will have given the problem
of your teeth and gums to a professional.
You won't have to cope alone anymore.
Copyright © 2001 by Carol Fisher