As you can figure out, fear of the dentist will have repercussions sooner or later, and they extend beyond dental health. One of these repercussions is depression. Dental Fear Central states that dental phobia, the most extreme kind of dental fear, may lead to depression. Even if you take care of your teeth as much as you can, there will be situations that will need the expertise of a dentist. Without the dentist’s advice, the teeth will incur damages.
Depending on the severity of the damage, the person may tend to avoid social interaction, stray away from jobs that require public contact, and even avoid going to the doctor, since the doctor might need to check inside the mouth and suggest a visit to the dentist upon seeing the damage.
Causes
Dental fear develops from different causes. One is a previous experience, where a person develops the fear after going through a painful dental procedure. Usually, the procedure isn’t the sole reason for developing the fear. The person’s perception of the dentist is another important factor. If the perception is negative, like “uncaring” or “cold”, and the procedure was painful, then it’s almost assured that the person will have dental fear after the session.
People who haven’t met a dentist or undergone a dental procedure may also develop dental fear. Hearing others’ negative experiences with the dentist, seeing negative portrayal in entertainment media, having a traumatic experience in other medical contexts, and feeling helpless during a consultation are some of the other causes of dental fear.
Who Are Affected?
Anyone can suffer from dental fear, regardless of age, sex, or status in life. Do you suffer from dental fear? If you live in Atlanta, there’s about a 75 percent chance you do, as that is the estimate for Americans afflicted with some form of dental fear. Around 9 to 15 percent have a level of fear that makes them avoid going to dentists altogether.
Overcoming Dental Fear
Overcoming dental fear is entirely doable. CBS Atlanta published the results of a study that shows that fear is all in your head. If you have dental fear, the first step to overcoming it is realizing that you’re not alone. Many who were previously afraid were able to overcome the fear by finding the best dentist in Atlanta. Dental offices, like Buckhead Esthetic Dentistry, take into account dental fear to improve their practices.
Sources:
(What is Dental Phobia?, Dental Fear Central)
(Study: Fear Of The Dentist Is All In Your Head, CBS Atlanta)