Affecting approximately 36% of the population, dental anxiety is a condition where people refuse to seek dental care because of fear. Besides brushing, flossing, and rinsing with antiseptic mouthwash, regular visits to your dentist in Franklin, NC, are crucial in keeping your overall oral health.
That’s why dental anxiety has serious repercussions on a person’s well-being.
Top Things You Need to Know About the Causes of Dental Anxiety
Trust Issues
Submitting yourself for dental treatment requires so much vulnerability. While this may not be an issue to others, some people find it hard to do just that. These patients feel that anything can go wrong as soon as the procedure starts; thus, they refrain from getting into that situation.
Fear of Loss of Control
Pinned down on a dentist’s chair, some people feel they don’t have a sense of control over themselves. Despite efforts to not make them feel this way, some patients can’t brush off such an idea, prompting them to avoid a dental appointment.
Fear of Pain
Most common to all patients, they refuse to ask for help from a dentist because of the fear of pain. Some people have a low threshold for physical pain that they find it a great deal to undergo a dental procedure.
However, recent developments in modern dentistry have made dental procedures less painful (or pain-free). However, some can still feel a little discomfort after the treatment.
Embarrassment
These people know they haven’t been taking really good care of their oral health and it’s embarrassing for them to show it to anyone else. They may also have fears for possible mouth odor, and with close proximity, they’re afraid the dentist might notice it.
The sad thing about this is it pushes people to not seek dental attention, which worsens their dental health all the more.
Dentists have been trained and accustomed to all states of dental health, good or bad. Whether or not you have an unpleasant state of oral health won’t be much of a big deal for them.
Anxiety Associated with Other Conditions
Other conditions like claustrophobia (or fear of closed spaces) could hinder a patient from receiving dental treatment. Others may have agoraphobia or the fear of being in situations where you feel you can’t escape. These conditions could cause patients to decline a dental appointment for fear of these conditions getting triggered.
However, dentists always put the safety and welfare of the patient as the top priority. Hence, if you feel trespassed in any way, you can definitely tell your dentist about it so they can make the necessary adjustments.
A Traumatic Dental or Other Healthcare Experience
Having a traumatic dental experience in the past may cause someone to avoid the dentist the next time. This may be caused by an unfavorable dental experience, where the pain was too much, or the dentist was too oblivious of the patient’s concerns. Therefore, it’s important to us that patients feel safe and comfortable throughout the procedure.
Contact Your Dentist in Franklin, NC, for Your Dental Needs
We at Cataloochee Dental Group believe nothing should be between your need for dental treatment and care. We take every measure to ensure you get a painless and comfortable experience as you sit on our dentist’s chair. Call us today so we can explain the steps we take to make your visit a positive experience.
