Breaking The Stigma: Dental Anxiety and Phobia In The Dental Chair
Posted by:
Awad Chaudhary
|
The Difference
Dental Anxiety is used to describe feelings of fear, stress and general unease about dental appointments and environments before and during. This effects everyone differently, from a faster heart beat, to sweaty hands, to overall mental discomfort.
Dental Phobia is a type of dental anxiety, but more severe, however less common. Instead of slight feelings of unease like anxiety, dental phobia is portrayed as a much more severe version (Dentophobia, 2024). This typically leads to dental appointments being avoided until extreme pain is already presented, and issues severe. While a faster heartbeat and sweaty hands may also be symptoms of this, extreme nervousness, emotional crying, trouble sleeping and eating, as well as trouble breathing before and during the dental visit are also symptoms (Dentophobia, 2024).
Although the differences are slight, the nuance is important to understand, they key aspect being the severity in physical and psychological changes from the norm.
The Unspoken Struggles Of Dental Anxiety And Phobia
Dental anxiety is quite common, more so than many may realize, challenging for both patients and practitioners alike. Current studies differ on the prevalence of dental anxieties in the population, however many corroborate, and the general trend is, that:
Up to around 15.3% of adults suffer from dental anxiety, reflecting on the variation of cultural, social and economic background (Peric & Tadin, 2024).
Recent data also estimates that 12.4% of adults suffer from high levels of dental anxiety, and 3.3% from extreme levels, also labeled as dental phobia (Silveira et al. 2021).
Children showcase a much larger variation, ranging from 4% to 98% (Sun et al. 2024).
One of the reasons why dental anxiety prevalence ranges from population to population is in part due to various personal factors. These include age, gender, socioeconomic environments, extraversion rate, past experiences and other psychological statuses (Alansaari et al. 2023). Typically, one pattern observed is that women and younger patients are more likely to suffer from dental anxiety and phobias, however, everyone can be at risk (Sopińska & Bołtacz-Rzepkowska, 2016)
What Effect Does This Have
Delaying and Avoiding Dental Appointments Dental appointments are often delayed and avoided entirely due to feelings of anxiety and phobia. This can lead to a decrease in oral health, resulting in a lower quality of life. This lower quality of life can be seen in two ways:
Physically: by avoiding dental appointments, decreased oral health is given a higher chance of prevalence, causing tooth decay such as cavities, and other periodontal diseases. This causes physical pain, ranging in severity, and ultimately results in a more lengthy and serious process to treat later down the road (Alenezi & Aldokhayel, 2022).
Psychologically: as one of my previous blogs had gone into detail, there is correlation between a lack of oral health and mental issues (de Oliveira et al. 2016). As oral health declines, so to does oral appearance, and as numerous studies have shown, our physical appearance often relates with our self imagery and self-esteem (Tiggemann, 2005). In essence, decreased oral health leads to a decrease in oral appearance which in turn often leads to a decrease in self-esteem, acting as an excellent breeding ground for a variety of mental struggles (Tiggemann, 2005).
By avoiding dental appointments, an increased risk of oral health issues occurs, causing both physical pain as well as messing with our sense of self-esteem and psychological well-being.
Psychological and Emotional Well-Being Dental anxiety and phobia causes emotional distresses for the individual (Dentophobia,2024), such as various kinds of fear.
Fear of pain: that the thing waiting for themselves at their appointments and procedure is pain and extreme discomfort.
Fear of being helpless: sitting in the dental chair without control over their environment, being at the mercy of someone else and feeling vulnerable.
Fear of embarrassment: overly self conscience of what others will think of their oral hygiene and the condition of their mouth.
Fear of unexpected outcomes: during the procedure, other unforeseen outcomes may come to light, perhaps another cavity or a tooth that needs to be removed, preferring to live in ‘ignorant bliss’
How To Ease Dental Anxiety And Phobia
Communication One of the most effective ways to help manage and deal with dental anxieties is through clear, open, and honest communication. Talk with your dental professional openly, let them know your concerns and issues, working with them to come to a solid understanding and solution. Remember, dental professionals are trained to help you through your oral health journey. Through communication, you can tailor an approach that helps to relieve your dental anxiety.
Find Dental Professionals That Can Help You Unfortunately, not all dental professional’s wheel house is working with dental anxiety. Some are naturally better than others, this is just a fact. Look around and find one who can tailor their approach for you. Someone who takes the time to explain and talk about the procedure, someone whose way of talking and working resonates with you, offering reassurance and a calm environment. Some may also specifically specialize in treating patients with dental anxiety and fears. Ask around, look around and read around.
Therapy Always remember, there are people available who can help, and who you can talk with. Depending on your situation you may find it useful to talk with a therapist about your anxiety, working with them to come up with a work around and solution. Never be ashamed of your struggles, and look for help when you need it.
Practice Relaxation Techniques Practice various stress relaxation exercises, such as deep breathings, clearing your mind, meditating and visualization techniques. Perhaps promise yourself a treat after your procedure or listen to an audiobook with noise canceling headphones during your procedure (probably not a horror book though).
Consider Sedation Many clinics have the option to use sedation on their patients such as gas, oral and intravenous pathways. These may be specific ‘sleep dental clinics’, or general. This way, dental anxiety can be eased, allowing the patient to relax and stay calm.
Bring Support Having a family member or friend come with you can also help with easing your stress. Companionship and support help to provide reassurance and comfort.
Take It Step-by-Step You don’t need to do long, strenuous procedures all at once, do it little by little with breaks in-between. Perhaps get a cleaning done one day, and the filling the next day. See what time frame works well for you and give yourself some ‘breathing time’, let it be minutes, hours or days, there is no obligation for you to get everything done at once.
Conclusion
Dental anxiety and phobia are two nuanced dental fears that significant portions of the population suffer from. It can lead to a decrease in both physical and psychological well-being.
However, fear not! There are many ways the anxiety and phobia can be eased, lessened, and overcome. From communication, relaxing techniques and medical pathways, you can overcome your dental fears and have the bright smile that you deserve!
References
Alansaari A.B.O., Tawfik A., Jaber M.A., Khamis A.H., Elameen E.M. Prevalence and socio-demographic correlates of dental anxiety among a group of adult patients attending dental outpatient Clinics: A Study from UAE. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health. 2023;20:6118. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20126118.
Alenezi A.A., Aldokhayel H.S. The impact of dental fear on the dental attendance behaviors: A retrospective study. J. Fam. Med. Prim. Care. 2022;11:6444–6450. doi: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_1030_22.
de Oliveira Solis AC, Marques AH, Dominguez WV, de Almeida Prado EB, Pannuti CM, Lotufo RFM, et al. Evaluation of periodontitis in hospital outpatients with major depressive disorder. A focus on gingival and circulating cytokines. Brain Behav Immunity. (2016) 53:49–53. 10.1016/j.bbi.2015.11.014
Peric, R., & Tadin, A. (2024). Associations between Dental Anxiety Levels, Self-Reported Oral Health, Previous Unpleasant Dental Experiences, and Behavioural Reactions in Dental Settings: An Adult E-Survey. Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania), 60(8), 1303. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina60081303
Silveira E.R., Cademartori M.G., Schuch H.S., Armfield J.A., Demarco F.F. Estimated prevalence of dental fear in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J. Dent. 2021;108:103632. doi: 10.1016/j.jdent.2021.103632.
Sopińska K., Bołtacz-Rzepkowska E. Dental fear and its effect on health behaviour of adult patients in Lodz region. J. Stomatol. 2016;69:310–324. doi: 10.5604/00114553.1217127.
Sun I.G., Chu C.H., Lo E.C.M., Duangthip D. Global prevalence of early childhood dental fear and anxiety: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J. Dent. 2024;142:104841. doi: 10.1016/j.jdent.2024.104841.
Tiggemann M. Body dissatisfaction and adolescent self-esteem: Prospective findings. Body Image. 2005;2:129–135. doi: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2005.03.006.
The Difference
Dental Anxiety is used to describe feelings of fear, stress and general unease about dental appointments and environments before and during. This effects everyone differently, from a faster heart beat, to sweaty hands, to overall mental discomfort.
Dental Phobia is a type of dental anxiety, but more severe, however less common. Instead of slight feelings of unease like anxiety, dental phobia is portrayed as a much more severe version (Dentophobia, 2024). This typically leads to dental appointments being avoided until extreme pain is already presented, and issues severe. While a faster heartbeat and sweaty hands may also be symptoms of this, extreme nervousness, emotional crying, trouble sleeping and eating, as well as trouble breathing before and during the dental visit are also symptoms (Dentophobia, 2024).
Although the differences are slight, the nuance is important to understand, they key aspect being the severity in physical and psychological changes from the norm.
The Unspoken Struggles Of Dental Anxiety And Phobia
Dental anxiety is quite common, more so than many may realize, challenging for both patients and practitioners alike. Current studies differ on the prevalence of dental anxieties in the population, however many corroborate, and the general trend is, that:
Up to around 15.3% of adults suffer from dental anxiety, reflecting on the variation of cultural, social and economic background (Peric & Tadin, 2024).
Recent data also estimates that 12.4% of adults suffer from high levels of dental anxiety, and 3.3% from extreme levels, also labeled as dental phobia (Silveira et al. 2021).
Children showcase a much larger variation, ranging from 4% to 98% (Sun et al. 2024).
One of the reasons why dental anxiety prevalence ranges from population to population is in part due to various personal factors. These include age, gender, socioeconomic environments, extraversion rate, past experiences and other psychological statuses (Alansaari et al. 2023). Typically, one pattern observed is that women and younger patients are more likely to suffer from dental anxiety and phobias, however, everyone can be at risk (Sopińska & Bołtacz-Rzepkowska, 2016)
What Effect Does This Have
Delaying and Avoiding Dental Appointments Dental appointments are often delayed and avoided entirely due to feelings of anxiety and phobia. This can lead to a decrease in oral health, resulting in a lower quality of life. This lower quality of life can be seen in two ways:
Physically: by avoiding dental appointments, decreased oral health is given a higher chance of prevalence, causing tooth decay such as cavities, and other periodontal diseases. This causes physical pain, ranging in severity, and ultimately results in a more lengthy and serious process to treat later down the road (Alenezi & Aldokhayel, 2022).
Psychologically: as one of my previous blogs had gone into detail, there is correlation between a lack of oral health and mental issues (de Oliveira et al. 2016). As oral health declines, so to does oral appearance, and as numerous studies have shown, our physical appearance often relates with our self imagery and self-esteem (Tiggemann, 2005). In essence, decreased oral health leads to a decrease in oral appearance which in turn often leads to a decrease in self-esteem, acting as an excellent breeding ground for a variety of mental struggles (Tiggemann, 2005).
By avoiding dental appointments, an increased risk of oral health issues occurs, causing both physical pain as well as messing with our sense of self-esteem and psychological well-being.
Psychological and Emotional Well-Being Dental anxiety and phobia causes emotional distresses for the individual (Dentophobia,2024), such as various kinds of fear.
Fear of pain: that the thing waiting for themselves at their appointments and procedure is pain and extreme discomfort.
Fear of being helpless: sitting in the dental chair without control over their environment, being at the mercy of someone else and feeling vulnerable.
Fear of embarrassment: overly self conscience of what others will think of their oral hygiene and the condition of their mouth.
Fear of unexpected outcomes: during the procedure, other unforeseen outcomes may come to light, perhaps another cavity or a tooth that needs to be removed, preferring to live in ‘ignorant bliss’
How To Ease Dental Anxiety And Phobia
Communication One of the most effective ways to help manage and deal with dental anxieties is through clear, open, and honest communication. Talk with your dental professional openly, let them know your concerns and issues, working with them to come to a solid understanding and solution. Remember, dental professionals are trained to help you through your oral health journey. Through communication, you can tailor an approach that helps to relieve your dental anxiety.
Find Dental Professionals That Can Help You Unfortunately, not all dental professional’s wheel house is working with dental anxiety. Some are naturally better than others, this is just a fact. Look around and find one who can tailor their approach for you. Someone who takes the time to explain and talk about the procedure, someone whose way of talking and working resonates with you, offering reassurance and a calm environment. Some may also specifically specialize in treating patients with dental anxiety and fears. Ask around, look around and read around.
Therapy Always remember, there are people available who can help, and who you can talk with. Depending on your situation you may find it useful to talk with a therapist about your anxiety, working with them to come up with a work around and solution. Never be ashamed of your struggles, and look for help when you need it.
Practice Relaxation Techniques Practice various stress relaxation exercises, such as deep breathings, clearing your mind, meditating and visualization techniques. Perhaps promise yourself a treat after your procedure or listen to an audiobook with noise canceling headphones during your procedure (probably not a horror book though).
Consider Sedation Many clinics have the option to use sedation on their patients such as gas, oral and intravenous pathways. These may be specific ‘sleep dental clinics’, or general. This way, dental anxiety can be eased, allowing the patient to relax and stay calm.
Bring Support Having a family member or friend come with you can also help with easing your stress. Companionship and support help to provide reassurance and comfort.
Take It Step-by-Step You don’t need to do long, strenuous procedures all at once, do it little by little with breaks in-between. Perhaps get a cleaning done one day, and the filling the next day. See what time frame works well for you and give yourself some ‘breathing time’, let it be minutes, hours or days, there is no obligation for you to get everything done at once.
Conclusion
Dental anxiety and phobia are two nuanced dental fears that significant portions of the population suffer from. It can lead to a decrease in both physical and psychological well-being.
However, fear not! There are many ways the anxiety and phobia can be eased, lessened, and overcome. From communication, relaxing techniques and medical pathways, you can overcome your dental fears and have the bright smile that you deserve!
References
Alansaari A.B.O., Tawfik A., Jaber M.A., Khamis A.H., Elameen E.M. Prevalence and socio-demographic correlates of dental anxiety among a group of adult patients attending dental outpatient Clinics: A Study from UAE. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health. 2023;20:6118. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20126118.
Alenezi A.A., Aldokhayel H.S. The impact of dental fear on the dental attendance behaviors: A retrospective study. J. Fam. Med. Prim. Care. 2022;11:6444–6450. doi: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_1030_22.
de Oliveira Solis AC, Marques AH, Dominguez WV, de Almeida Prado EB, Pannuti CM, Lotufo RFM, et al. Evaluation of periodontitis in hospital outpatients with major depressive disorder. A focus on gingival and circulating cytokines. Brain Behav Immunity. (2016) 53:49–53. 10.1016/j.bbi.2015.11.014
Peric, R., & Tadin, A. (2024). Associations between Dental Anxiety Levels, Self-Reported Oral Health, Previous Unpleasant Dental Experiences, and Behavioural Reactions in Dental Settings: An Adult E-Survey. Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania), 60(8), 1303. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina60081303
Silveira E.R., Cademartori M.G., Schuch H.S., Armfield J.A., Demarco F.F. Estimated prevalence of dental fear in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J. Dent. 2021;108:103632. doi: 10.1016/j.jdent.2021.103632.
Sopińska K., Bołtacz-Rzepkowska E. Dental fear and its effect on health behaviour of adult patients in Lodz region. J. Stomatol. 2016;69:310–324. doi: 10.5604/00114553.1217127.
Sun I.G., Chu C.H., Lo E.C.M., Duangthip D. Global prevalence of early childhood dental fear and anxiety: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J. Dent. 2024;142:104841. doi: 10.1016/j.jdent.2024.104841.
Tiggemann M. Body dissatisfaction and adolescent self-esteem: Prospective findings. Body Image. 2005;2:129–135. doi: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2005.03.006.
The Difference
Dental Anxiety is used to describe feelings of fear, stress and general unease about dental appointments and environments before and during. This effects everyone differently, from a faster heart beat, to sweaty hands, to overall mental discomfort.
Dental Phobia is a type of dental anxiety, but more severe, however less common. Instead of slight feelings of unease like anxiety, dental phobia is portrayed as a much more severe version (Dentophobia, 2024). This typically leads to dental appointments being avoided until extreme pain is already presented, and issues severe. While a faster heartbeat and sweaty hands may also be symptoms of this, extreme nervousness, emotional crying, trouble sleeping and eating, as well as trouble breathing before and during the dental visit are also symptoms (Dentophobia, 2024).
Although the differences are slight, the nuance is important to understand, they key aspect being the severity in physical and psychological changes from the norm.
The Unspoken Struggles Of Dental Anxiety And Phobia
Dental anxiety is quite common, more so than many may realize, challenging for both patients and practitioners alike. Current studies differ on the prevalence of dental anxieties in the population, however many corroborate, and the general trend is, that:
Up to around 15.3% of adults suffer from dental anxiety, reflecting on the variation of cultural, social and economic background (Peric & Tadin, 2024).
Recent data also estimates that 12.4% of adults suffer from high levels of dental anxiety, and 3.3% from extreme levels, also labeled as dental phobia (Silveira et al. 2021).
Children showcase a much larger variation, ranging from 4% to 98% (Sun et al. 2024).
One of the reasons why dental anxiety prevalence ranges from population to population is in part due to various personal factors. These include age, gender, socioeconomic environments, extraversion rate, past experiences and other psychological statuses (Alansaari et al. 2023). Typically, one pattern observed is that women and younger patients are more likely to suffer from dental anxiety and phobias, however, everyone can be at risk (Sopińska & Bołtacz-Rzepkowska, 2016)
What Effect Does This Have
Delaying and Avoiding Dental Appointments Dental appointments are often delayed and avoided entirely due to feelings of anxiety and phobia. This can lead to a decrease in oral health, resulting in a lower quality of life. This lower quality of life can be seen in two ways:
Physically: by avoiding dental appointments, decreased oral health is given a higher chance of prevalence, causing tooth decay such as cavities, and other periodontal diseases. This causes physical pain, ranging in severity, and ultimately results in a more lengthy and serious process to treat later down the road (Alenezi & Aldokhayel, 2022).
Psychologically: as one of my previous blogs had gone into detail, there is correlation between a lack of oral health and mental issues (de Oliveira et al. 2016). As oral health declines, so to does oral appearance, and as numerous studies have shown, our physical appearance often relates with our self imagery and self-esteem (Tiggemann, 2005). In essence, decreased oral health leads to a decrease in oral appearance which in turn often leads to a decrease in self-esteem, acting as an excellent breeding ground for a variety of mental struggles (Tiggemann, 2005).
By avoiding dental appointments, an increased risk of oral health issues occurs, causing both physical pain as well as messing with our sense of self-esteem and psychological well-being.
Psychological and Emotional Well-Being Dental anxiety and phobia causes emotional distresses for the individual (Dentophobia,2024), such as various kinds of fear.
Fear of pain: that the thing waiting for themselves at their appointments and procedure is pain and extreme discomfort.
Fear of being helpless: sitting in the dental chair without control over their environment, being at the mercy of someone else and feeling vulnerable.
Fear of embarrassment: overly self conscience of what others will think of their oral hygiene and the condition of their mouth.
Fear of unexpected outcomes: during the procedure, other unforeseen outcomes may come to light, perhaps another cavity or a tooth that needs to be removed, preferring to live in ‘ignorant bliss’
How To Ease Dental Anxiety And Phobia
Communication One of the most effective ways to help manage and deal with dental anxieties is through clear, open, and honest communication. Talk with your dental professional openly, let them know your concerns and issues, working with them to come to a solid understanding and solution. Remember, dental professionals are trained to help you through your oral health journey. Through communication, you can tailor an approach that helps to relieve your dental anxiety.
Find Dental Professionals That Can Help You Unfortunately, not all dental professional’s wheel house is working with dental anxiety. Some are naturally better than others, this is just a fact. Look around and find one who can tailor their approach for you. Someone who takes the time to explain and talk about the procedure, someone whose way of talking and working resonates with you, offering reassurance and a calm environment. Some may also specifically specialize in treating patients with dental anxiety and fears. Ask around, look around and read around.
Therapy Always remember, there are people available who can help, and who you can talk with. Depending on your situation you may find it useful to talk with a therapist about your anxiety, working with them to come up with a work around and solution. Never be ashamed of your struggles, and look for help when you need it.
Practice Relaxation Techniques Practice various stress relaxation exercises, such as deep breathings, clearing your mind, meditating and visualization techniques. Perhaps promise yourself a treat after your procedure or listen to an audiobook with noise canceling headphones during your procedure (probably not a horror book though).
Consider Sedation Many clinics have the option to use sedation on their patients such as gas, oral and intravenous pathways. These may be specific ‘sleep dental clinics’, or general. This way, dental anxiety can be eased, allowing the patient to relax and stay calm.
Bring Support Having a family member or friend come with you can also help with easing your stress. Companionship and support help to provide reassurance and comfort.
Take It Step-by-Step You don’t need to do long, strenuous procedures all at once, do it little by little with breaks in-between. Perhaps get a cleaning done one day, and the filling the next day. See what time frame works well for you and give yourself some ‘breathing time’, let it be minutes, hours or days, there is no obligation for you to get everything done at once.
Conclusion
Dental anxiety and phobia are two nuanced dental fears that significant portions of the population suffer from. It can lead to a decrease in both physical and psychological well-being.
However, fear not! There are many ways the anxiety and phobia can be eased, lessened, and overcome. From communication, relaxing techniques and medical pathways, you can overcome your dental fears and have the bright smile that you deserve!
References
Alansaari A.B.O., Tawfik A., Jaber M.A., Khamis A.H., Elameen E.M. Prevalence and socio-demographic correlates of dental anxiety among a group of adult patients attending dental outpatient Clinics: A Study from UAE. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health. 2023;20:6118. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20126118.
Alenezi A.A., Aldokhayel H.S. The impact of dental fear on the dental attendance behaviors: A retrospective study. J. Fam. Med. Prim. Care. 2022;11:6444–6450. doi: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_1030_22.
de Oliveira Solis AC, Marques AH, Dominguez WV, de Almeida Prado EB, Pannuti CM, Lotufo RFM, et al. Evaluation of periodontitis in hospital outpatients with major depressive disorder. A focus on gingival and circulating cytokines. Brain Behav Immunity. (2016) 53:49–53. 10.1016/j.bbi.2015.11.014
Peric, R., & Tadin, A. (2024). Associations between Dental Anxiety Levels, Self-Reported Oral Health, Previous Unpleasant Dental Experiences, and Behavioural Reactions in Dental Settings: An Adult E-Survey. Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania), 60(8), 1303. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina60081303
Silveira E.R., Cademartori M.G., Schuch H.S., Armfield J.A., Demarco F.F. Estimated prevalence of dental fear in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J. Dent. 2021;108:103632. doi: 10.1016/j.jdent.2021.103632.
Sopińska K., Bołtacz-Rzepkowska E. Dental fear and its effect on health behaviour of adult patients in Lodz region. J. Stomatol. 2016;69:310–324. doi: 10.5604/00114553.1217127.
Sun I.G., Chu C.H., Lo E.C.M., Duangthip D. Global prevalence of early childhood dental fear and anxiety: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J. Dent. 2024;142:104841. doi: 10.1016/j.jdent.2024.104841.
Tiggemann M. Body dissatisfaction and adolescent self-esteem: Prospective findings. Body Image. 2005;2:129–135. doi: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2005.03.006.
