MANAGING FEAR OF THE DENTIST

When patients tell us they have dental phobia, or fear of the dentist, there is often a dental event in their past that was traumatic. Perhaps as a child they had a scary needle encounter or a dentist who wasn’t very kind. Some patients have such powerful memories that they can’t even book an appointment without fear. It is estimated that 1 in 5 people have fear of the dentist. The good news is that there are ways to manage dental fear and anxiety. The first step is for patients to clearly communicate to the dental staff what it is they are afraid of. Is it the needle? The sound of the dental drill? The more detail the dental team has, the more effectively a plan of action can be made. We try to give patients as much control as possible. Whether that means raising their hand to signal a break is needed or holding onto a suction. Other techniques include:

• Distractions like music or video
• Sedation– IV sedation, laughing gas, oral sedation
• Establishing control through hand signals
• Deep breathing

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/sunnybrook-health-sciences-centre/fear-of-the-dentist_b_8709004.html

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