Introduction:
We all fear pain and it’s a well-known reason for people to avoid seeing the dentist. Most end up having severe periodontal problems leading to loss of teeth. Approximately 4-11% people suffer from dental phobias and avoid seeking dental care at all costs. Many of them end up in emergency situations that require invasive procedures like extraction or pulpotomy, which further reinforces their phobia.
What causes dental phobia? About 75% of such patients have had a bad childhood experience in a dentist's office. Another 25% suffer from other issues like post traumatic stress disorders e.g., war veterans, domestic violence and childhood sexual abuse, anxiety disorders, substance abuse, for whom dental phobia becomes an unpleasant side effect. Also a lot of these patients didn't have a good access to dental care. Indirect experiences such as hearing about traumatic experiences/views of a friend or family member about dentistry may also contribute towards development of phobias.
Patients feel fear not so much from the actual pain but from the lack of control that they feel lying in a dental chair. That creates a lot of anxiousness in some patients, as they don’t feel helpless. Most dentists continue treating all patients in a similarly assuming that they all have similar pain level and will handle the procedure in the same way. Dentists should be mindful of their patient’s level of tolerance and make them aware of the entire procedure ahead of time so that they are able to handle the unexpected situations. They should take time to ensure that the patient feels comfortable at every step. Use of medications and wide array of techniques can help patients eliminate pain and anxiety and making dental visits a pleasant experi...
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..., patience and training in behavior management. This is really important, as evidence suggests that there is no difference between the oral health outcomes of people who have dental fear as compared to those who don’t. Appropriate techniques like behavior modification, sedation, medication etc., can help patients recognize and overcome their fear and modify their utilization of dental behavior. This will establish trust and increase patient compliance.
Works Cited
1.Predicting dental avoidance among dentally fearful Australian adults.
Armfield JM.
2. The effects of dental anxiety and irregular attendance on referral for dental treatment under sedation within the National Health Service in London. Milgrom P, Newton JT, Boyle C, Heaton LJ, Donaldson N.
3. Effect of fear on dental utilization behaviors and oral health outcome.
Meng X, Heft MW, Bradley MM, Lang PJ.
Are you worried about feeling pain during a procedure? Are you scared of visiting the dentist and want to know how we can help? Our office offers three levels of dental sedation in order to help make your visit to Northwest Dental Healthcare as pleasant as possible. Learn more about our dental sedation options below.
At one point in history people only visited the dentist when they had a toothache. Since no one knew how to take care of their oral health almost everyone had toothaches and all a dentist did was pull out teeth, make false ones to replace the ones that had been pulled out, and put caps on broken teeth. In 1906 a dentist named Alfred Fones, believed he knew why peoples gums hurt and why teeth went bad. Alfred tried telling other dentist and doctors the reason peoples teeth went bad was because they were covered with plaque and tartar and if people would just clean their teeth, their teeth would last longer and their mouths would feel better. But no one believed him, people just didnt see the value in preventive care because preventive care
The first thing we assess when seeing patients is a visual inspection, observe gait, mouth posture and other physical characteristics patients reveal. One patient I provided care for had a history of schizophrenia and psychiatric care. Upon bringing him to my operatory I noticed he was very apprehensive and walked very slow to postpone treatment as long as he could. When he sat down in my chair I chatted with him before getting started to relieve some anxiety he had, throughout the appointment the patient was short and agitated. When he seemed agitated I would ask him about things he liked to do and he would return to a happy state before I would continue with any procedures. We made it through the appointment and he was in good spirits and said he was excited to come back and see me for his next cleaning. This was an awesome learning experience that tested my patients and ability to adapt to each patient. It helped me develop skills needed to ease dental anxiety and provide enjoyable care for patients that are apprehensive about dental
"Don't avoid the dentist. Individuals who do so are more at risk of early tooth loss and gum disease. Problems with one's teeth can also lead to insecurity and a loss of self esteem. We are here to help in any way we can. Let us know what we can do to make your visit to our dentist fort collins more comfortable," Buxton states.
Dentists are often thought of as people to be feared. Most people try to put off going to the dentist until their teeth hurt so much that they have no choice but to visit the feared dental office. Waiting for pain in the mouth or gums before visiting a dentist is one of the worst things a person can do. Paul J. Flaer, et al. observes, “Fear in approaching the dental visit may be generated by psychosocial factors such as history of bad experience(s) at the dentist and by the effect of poor representations of dental treatment in the media” (104). If more people could get over their dentophobia they might have better oral health and probably better overall health.
Certain individuals avoid the dentist at all costs, choosing to live with cavities, gum disease and more, as they fear the chair more than anything. Others put off visiting a dental practitioner until the pain has become so overwhelming they can no longer live with it. This phobia is more common than many people realize, and it shows in oral health statistics. This doesn't need to be the case, however, thanks to sedation dentistry. Dentists use sedation for those dentists who experience anxiety, whether they are simply having a cavity filled or need to have their teeth cleaned. It's no longer reserved only for major work.
Oral sedation dentistry allows appropriately trained dentists to create a safe and comfortable dental experience for patients who have avoided the dentist out of fear or who might have time restrictions.
It usually means you have chosen a dentist who doesn't make you feel comfortable. Dentistry terrifies many people, making them uncomfortable and frightened just at the thought of visiting a dentist. For instance, a person visiting a dentist for porcelain veneers may dread the procedure, even when they know they need it.
(To have a real insight into the daily duties of a dentist, I set aside a period of time last summer where I could acquire some work experience.) I spent 2 weeks at a local general practice offering both private and NHS treatment. I witnessed the close relationships to which the dentist had created with his patients, personally I find meeting and working with new people on a daily basis provides quite a fun stimulating aspect to this career. Whilst shadowing my dentist I witnessed a number of complex procedures such as a dislodged wisdom tooth extraction and many root canal fillings. My experience at this practice showed me that dentistry is a career that is heavily dependent on dentist-patient interactions, alongside other collaborating staff to ensure the correct treatment is given in an efficient and effective manner. I also spent a week at my orthodontist, it was here that it became apparent to me the real extent to which dentistry
Dentinal hypersensitivity is characterized by a short, sharp pain in response to stimuli. Dentinal hypersensitivity, which is more commonly seen in adults in the 20 – 40 – year old age group, has several etiological factors. Gingival recession and enamel loss both contribute to the prevalence of this condition, resulting in the exposure of dentin.
Kazemian, et al. defines overtreatment as putting a patient through a procedure in which there is little or no evidence that such a procedure will improve a patient’s health outcome. In their questionnaire, they concluded that dentistry is vulnerable to overtreatment, and there is cause for concern in the dental profession. The rational behind such negligible services is usually multifactorial. Reasons connected to such behavior include: rewards through fee-for-service
AS a dentist one should be strongly determined to devote selflessly for the betterment of mankind .Patient usuall...
Growing up I heard many stories from my peers of their experiences at the dentist’s office. It is upsetting to say that most of my visits were vividly terrifying. As a child, the grinding, scratching, and high-pitched twangs of the instruments digging around in my mouth would leave my ears ringing and teeth vibrating every single time. The smell of fluoride and disinfectants permanently infected the air, sending chills through my body the minute I walked in. I quickly learned that latex posses an extremely unappetizing aftertaste. Needless to say, I was not always enthusiastic about going to the dentist’s office and getting braces did not make anything better for me.
Everyone wish to have a healthy and a gorgeous smile on their face. But, unfortunately around the world majority of people suffers from various dental problems and irregularities. These dental problems are either because of the negligence of the people towards their dental hygiene or because of hereditary reasons. If one is suffering from any sort of dental problem even if is it is a minute pain in the tooth. It must not be avoided and proper treatment should be taken at the right time before it becomes severe.
“A dentist determines issues in the mouth and treats patients' teeth, gums, and related parts of the mouth. Dentists are trained to diagnose, prevent, and treat various problems associated with teeth and mouth tissue” (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2015). It is the dentist’s responsibility to be fully aware of different types of dental problems and can recognize those problems through looking at x-rays. “The primary focus of dental care is to teach their patients of how to prevent gum disease, tooth loss, etc.” (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2015). A dentist must closely monitor a patient’s mouth by using various instruments. A dentist must also properly suggest treatment depending on the diagnosis. “Other occupations that