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Why Am I Scared of the Dentist? Common Dental Phobia Causes and What You Can Do About Them

It’s understandable to feel worried when experiencing pain or discomfort and about receiving any form of treatment. Health issues are a rational cause for concern. But we can also put our trust in the skills, knowledge, and experience of a healthcare professional. This is often enough to allay our fears.

For some, this isn’t so easy. If you feel anxious about seeing a dentist, you may have a dental phobia. This is a common problem; however, if it’s preventing you from getting essential dental care, it’s to look for ways to overcome these fears.

Before you can move past your anxieties, it’s helpful to understand dental phobia and its most common causes.

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Today, we’re exploring why you might be scared to visit your dentist and how to fight the fear and get the treatment you need.

What Is Dental Phobia?

Dental phobia is a fear or anxiety about visiting a dentist or receiving treatment. The thought of going to a dentist may cause increased heart rate, sweating, low blood pressure, and irritability. You may find that you completely avoid the subject of or use aggression or humour to mask your worries and doubts.

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You may feel nervous, stressed, or panicky about going for a checkup; however, if you have lived with a dental phobia for a long time, it’s quite likely that you haven’t had a routine examination in many years. When dental problems arise, you will have the symptoms and the stress around them to contend with. The added pain can make your anxiety worse.

Without treatment, you may experience dental discomfort, develop a OnabotulinumtoxinAAbobotulinumtoxinAIncobotulinumtoxinAPrabotulinumtoxinALetibotulinumtoxinARimabotulinumtoxinBHyaluronic Acid FillersCalcium Hydroxylapatite FillersPoly-L-lactic Acid FillersPolymethylmethacrylate FillersAutologous Fat GraftingForehead Lines TreatmentGlabellar Frown Lines TreatmentCrow's Feet TreatmentBunny Lines TreatmentChemical Brow LiftLip FlipGummy Smile CorrectionMasseter ReductionJaw SlimmingDimpled Chin SmoothingCobblestone Chin SmoothingNefertiti Neck LiftMicro-BotoxMesotoxHyperhidrosis TreatmentChronic Migraine ReliefBruxism TreatmentTMJ TreatmentCervical Dystonia TreatmentNeck Spasm TreatmentBlepharospasm TreatmentLip AugmentationLip ContouringCheekbone EnhancementTear Trough FillersNasolabial Fold SofteningMarionette Line FillersLiquid RhinoplastyNon-Surgical Nose JobJawline ContouringJawline DefinitionChin AugmentationTemple VolumisingHand RejuvenationAcne Scar Subcision Filling, and have discoloured and stained teeth that cause you embarrassment and upset.

What Causes Dental Phobia?

There are many reasons for dental phobia, and sometimes it’s difficult to pinpoint the exact issue, or there may be multiple factors.

For many, a negative experience at the dentist can be a cause. This may have happened while you were young or more recently. It’s natural to develop anxiety or worry if you’ve had a poor experience elsewhere.

If your parents or someone else you grew up with had a dental phobia, you may also experience similar anxiety or fear. It’s easy to pick up on other people’s worries and develop comparable thoughts and behaviours.

You may have experienced physical or emotional trauma at some point in your life. While these may not be dental-related, you may have developed an acute trauma response to many situations in life.

If you experience any other type of anxiety, such as agoraphobia, suffer from depression or OCD, or have another mental health condition, a dental phobia may be a comorbid issue.

Many people experience dental phobia because they fear losing control. While you’re in a dentist’s chair, you may worry about feeling or that the dentist is invading your personal space.

Fighting Your Fear of the Dentist

Although dental phobia may seem like an issue you can’t overcome, with the right support and approach, you can.

The first thing you need to do is talk about it. Here at Love Teeth, our owner Dr KP is a Dental Phobia certified dentist. This means he’s recognised for his approach to treating anxious patients. Booking a relaxed appointment to talk your worries is a great first step to overcoming them. Other areas of support your GP or a counsellor.

Talking to us helps because if we know the specific things that cause you anxiety, we can put plans in place to help you manage your anxiety while we’re giving you a checkup or giving you treatment.

A may help you tackle the root cause of your anxiety while giving you coping strategies.

While receiving treatment, you will likely focus intently on what you’re most worried about. When this happens, your anxiety is likely to build, and it could lead to a panic attack. Distractions give you else to think about,

Listening to music, an audiobook, or your favourite podcast can help. Why not curate a feel-good Spotify playlist? Alternatively, our clinics have TVs on the ceilings, giving you something else to pay attention to.

There are several techniques that can help you relax. During times of heightened anxiety, your body starts to produce stress hormones like cortisol or adrenaline.

These naturally occurring prepare us to take action when we are faced with imminent danger. To aid the fight or flight response, blood is taken from our brain and other organs and sent to our muscles. As this happens, we breathe faster and our heart rate increases.

The trick is to reverse this. By breathing slowly, your heart rate will drop, and the blood and oxygen will return to your brain. Hormone production will shift, and your anxiety will drop.

Breathe in for a few seconds, hold your breath, and then breathe out for the same length of time for a few minutes, and you should start to feel calmer.

Similarly, using grounding techniques like progressive muscle relaxation, guided imagery, and meditation can also help.

Bringing a friend, partner, or family member with you to your appointment can also help. Having someone with you who knows you well and that you trust can give you the reassurance you need during your treatment.

If we know you’re nervous about your checkup or treatment, we can slow things down or take a break if needed. We can discuss how to let us know at the start.

for a quiet time of day can also help. Although we’ve tried to make our waiting room as comfortable as possible, we understand that if there’s a lot going on, it can make anxiety worse. Let our receptionists know you’re anxious, and they can help you find the best time for your appointment.

Overcoming Dental Phobia With Love Teeth

Don’t let dental phobia define you. Dr KP and his friendly team at Love Teeth are here to help you overcome your anxiety and get the dental care you need.

With clinics in Sutton, Stonecot, Cheam, Chessington, and Worcester Park, it’s easier than ever to find support and understanding.

Book your free cosmetic consultation

today

If you’re considering cosmetic treatments like , , , , , or , we’d love to welcome you to our clinic for a free consultation.

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Love Teeth Dental is a group of private dental clinics in Surrey serving local patients from Sutton, Chessington, Weybridge, Cheam, Epsom, Kingston, Richmond, Esher and beyond. Love Teeth Limited is authorised and registered by the Financial Conduct Authority. Love Teeth Worcester Park Limited, Love Teeth Stonecot Limited, Love Teeth Sutton Limited, Love Teeth Hook Limited, Love Teeth New Malden Limited are Appointed Representative's of Chrysalis Finance Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Love Teeth Limited, Love Teeth Worcester Park Limited, Love Teeth Stonecot Limited, Love Teeth Sutton Limited, Love Teeth Hook Limited, Love Teeth New Malden Limited are credit brokers, not lenders. The provider of a payment scheme which is not offered through or by Chrysalis Finance Limited may not be so authorised and regulated. All companies named above are credit brokers, not lenders. The provider of a payment scheme which is not offered through or by Chrysalis Finance Limited may not be so authorised and .

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