Why People Fear Dentists

By Author: Christian Hentz
Total Articles: 8
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Here's a little trivia that you might want to spring up to your friends. Did you know that the fear of the dentist or even of the dental procedures performed by a dentist is officially called dentophobia? But, when you come to think of it, who among us hasn't been afraid of these dental professionals at certain points in our lives?

Certainly, most people have their own reasons for fearing to go to a dental clinic. Some may have had previous bad experiences with their dentists and as such, have decided to stay away from them for good. This means they might have encountered traumatic incidents during their oral sessions such as gagging during teeth x-rays, hearing the current patient's screaming while waiting in the lobby, and feeling tooth pain due to insufficient amount of anesthetic administered.

Others may have felt that their dentists are incompetent in performing the dental procedure and thus, their oral health is being compromised. To fear that their dentists are incompetent or unskilled, this means that the dental practitioner may not have enough experience and training in administering oral procedures and ...
... may even have poor social skills as evidenced by his sloppy chair-side manner. Some may even complain about dentists invading their personal private space or dentists losing control over a certain situation.

Experienced dentists Raleigh has may also tell you that people may also associate their fear of dentists with the equipment these dentists use such as anesthetic injections and cavity drills. With these unfounded fears, an able dentist may have a difficult time convincing the patient that all shall be well and that the patient will be properly taken care of. In fact, it has even been noted that the fear of the dentist usually runs in families, suggesting that parents themselves pass on this unfounded fear to their children.

So how then should we combat this unfounded fear of dentists? With the advent of new technology, modern dentistry has been more sensitive to the needs of patients, taking care of their fears and anxieties. Dentists in Raleigh NC, for instance, have noted that with the improved technology, patient education has been one of the more important thrusts in the field of dentistry. Dental clinics have tremendously become more comfortable and accommodating and state-of-the-art dental facilities and gadgets have made procedures more efficient and dental pain for patients reduced.

For our part, dentists in Raleigh believe that it would be better if we practice good oral hygiene. This will reduce the dental visits that we make for check-ups and tooth cleaning and by doing so, the tension and fear evident in the dental clinic atmosphere are lessened. Brushing and flossing regularly and following all the things advised by our dentists will help their work as well as ours easier than ever - a win-win situation, indeed!