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Dental anxiety exists in three major forms. The first of these is mild anxiety when faced with the prospect of a dental visit. These patients are generally able to undergo dental treatment without any extraordinary measures, but these persons often put off making dental appointments or are apt to cancel appointments with little or no reason. While they experience some fear in being treated, they will generally face this anxiety when faced with a dental need such as a cavity filling.
The second type of anxious patient is the one who experiences moderate symptoms of anxiety. These patients experience more than simple dread of a dental appointment and are likely to experience true panic symptoms such as lightheadedness, heart palpitations and shortness of breath. These patients actively avoid visits to the dentist and are likely to only seek dental treatment when faced with a dental emergency involving a good deal of pain.
The final type of patient with dental anxiety is the one who is not just fearful but phobic. Those experiencing a phobia have irrational fears and will avoid dental visits even when in severe pain. Those with dental phobia have even been known to leave in the middle of dental treatment. Phobic patients are the most difficult to treat of all those with dental anxiety. - One of the main features of dental anxiety is avoidance of dental offices and procedures. Other features include physical responses to anxiety, which may include stomach upset, headache, shortness of breath, sweating and trembling. Emotional symptom often include extreme worry and dread, crying and flight fantasies.
- Experts believe dental anxiety can be caused by a number of events. The first of these is a prior bad experience. Experts believe that a traumatic or painful event can result in a person developing dental anxiety. A person may also develop dental anxiety due to a generic fear of needles. People are taught early on to avoid sharp objects so a natural fear may develop of sharp dental instruments. Yet another reason a person may experience dental fear is due to embarrassment. A person who has dental issues and who may have been unable to seek prior dental care due to expenses may be fearful of visiting a dentist because she fears the dentist will be angry with her for the state of her teeth or she may be humiliated by having rotting teeth and/or diseased gums.
- The unfortunate effect of dental anxiety is that these patients often avoid care until significant tooth and gum issues have developed. Problems that could have been solved with simple cleanings and fillings can progress to issues that require root canals or other more invasive and costly treatments or even tooth loss. Gum disease is common in patients who have neglected to have regular dental visits.
- Treating dental anxiety can be difficult but is most often successful. Some patients need professional counseling to overcome their fears, while others simply need to be educated about advances in dental care which allow painless or nearly painless treatments. Support groups, both in person and online, can be vastly helpful in preparing persons for dental visits and treatments. It is also very helpful for patients to seek out dentists who advertise themselves as being experienced in working with anxious patients. Many dentists include such information in their advertising and brochures. Also, scheduling a consultation-only first visit in which the patient is assessed and then has treatment options explained to him prior to scheduling a treatment visit, can be extremely beneficial in alleviating fears. Those who require a great amount of dental work and are dental phobics may need to work with a dental surgeon who can perform the work in a hospital with the patient under a general anesthetic.
