Fear And Dental Procedures: How They Paired Up And Ways To Separate Them

You are completely terrified of going to the dentist and having any procedure done: even a cleaning. In fact, up to 80 percent of the population falls into this category so you are not alone. This is probably due to one of the following reasons:

The dentist or dental practitioner may have been rough and uncaring.

It is unfortunate, but true, that not all dental practitioners are as caring as they should and could be. This is not unlike any other profession. Some of them do an excellent job of being caring and considerate; while others can help to make the whole experience just a little more uncomfortable than it truly needs to be. Having an unpleasant experience, especially a first experience, tends to color the view of the profession.

The analgesic did not work on you for a particular procedure.

People have differing reactions to analgesics. Some require more than others. This particular problem comes back to the dental practitioner as some pander to the misconception that no visible signs of pain in the patient means that the analgesic is enough and therefore end up under-medicating the patient. Procedural pain is preventable and should not have to be tolerated. 

You have heard of the bad experience of someone else in grim detail.

A large percentage of those who are terrified of dental procedures are terrified because they have heard of someone else's experience. Unfortunately people tend to over share about bad experiences and this is sometimes more emotional than objective. However, that is exactly why it makes such an impact on those who are listening.

If you fall into any of these categories, or you have simply watched a number of horror movies featuring dentists which have given you an exaggerated impression of what could happen at the hands of a dentist, here are a few suggestions that might help.

Wait for the toothache

One way to approach this to just wait for the toothache and hope you find the right dentist at that time. Of course, no reputable dentist would suggest this is acute pain; it usually means that something has gone horribly wrong with your tooth. However, no matter how terrified you are of the dentist, an intense toothache will help you to overcome that in a hurry. There are toothaches that can outshine even the strongest of painkillers and at that point any dental procedure will seem like a godsend. 

Find a "good dentist"

On the other hand, the best way to approach this is to be proactive. Do some research on the dentists in your area. Talk to friends and family members about those dentists that they know about or check out reviews online. However, while you do so, make sure that the observations are objective and do not tie into your original emotional response to the dentist. Look for comments about the attitude of the dentist and dental staff and the atmosphere that was created during the visit.

Visit the offices for a dental examination

A simple dental examination is one way to find out how well the dental office and the practitioners there will treat you and the kind of experience you are likely to have. An office that is well kept and pleasant and that is child friendly is a good place to start. The dentist as well as the other members on staff should be welcoming, professional, warm and friendly. They should be willing to explain the steps to you and to try their best to make you feel as comfortable as possible in the given situation. They should also be willing to listen to your concerns and answer any questions that you have pertaining to your case. These are all excellent signs that your mouth is in good hands.

Remember that you are going to need dental services, from dentists such as Thomas W. Wegner, DDS of Town & Country Dental Care, at some point and you want to ensure that you have one in mind when this happens.