Dealing with Dentophobia

Dentophobia is a fear that takes hold of many people in modern society. Yes, even with all the pain and anxiety-relieving techniques and friendly smiles there are in our office, some people are still afraid of the dentist. The worst part about this is, that people who are afraid of the dentist avoid us at all costs, which makes them more susceptible to dental diseases, such as cavities and periodontal disease. When they are forced to make their way to a dental office, because of advanced disease and severe pain, their treatments may not be gentle or pleasant to endure. This creates a traumatizing cycle for the dentophobic, luckily there is a surefire way to beat dentophobia and that is choosing the right dentist for you.

Finding the right dentist is finding one that you enjoy going to see. A dentist that you look forward catching up with when you schedule your appointment, and one that you are confident will address all your dental concerns. With all the dental practices in Melbourne, Florida it can seem like a daunting task to take on. But it doesn’t have to be.

Dentistry has come a long way, but it is not that difficult to understand why people fear their dentist. Not that long ago the same man who would cut your hair routinely pulled out decayed teeth. There was no pain relief and no other way to do things. Today dentists, like Dr. Brazdo, are aware and sensitive to the very common fear of her profession. Don’t worry she doesn’t take it personally, she takes it as a challenge to introduce her patients to a family-centered, gentle practice that alleviates fear and diminishes anxiety. Her goal is to rid you of your fear and anxiety and have you look forward to your twice yearly cleaning sessions.

There are four major forms of dental anxiety that our team of dental specialists at Artistic Touch Dentistry take care to understand and help our patients overcome they are:

1. General Anxiety Disorder: These patients are anxious as it is. They would characterize their whole day as a big, rubber-band ball of stress, and making their way to the dentist adds one more band. They worry about making it there on time, on if the appointment will go as planned, and if they’ll be out of the office in time to make their next, stress-filled appointment. They avoid the dentist because they feel like they don’t have the time and if there’s not a problem why fix it? When they do have a problem, it is often complex because the visit has been avoided for so long. Instead of adding one band it suddenly feels like a visit to the dentist adds twenty more bands to that stress ball of theirs.  To combat general anxiety about scheduling your appointment Artistic Touch Dentistry aims to make every visit enjoyable and relaxing. We have extremely comfortable exam chairs, blankets, pillows, and even noise-cancelling headphones for you to listen to while we clean, polish and examine your teeth. Making our patients feel at ease and happy during their procedures is the most important thing we do. Let us know if you’ve got a little anxiety and we can help make your next trip to the dentist, the best one you’ve ever had.
2. Catastrophe: This next type of fear is very much characterized as a snowball effect of anxiety. These patients are worried that coming in for a routine procedure, like a cleaning or check up could result in a catastrophe. Maybe they had a bad experience early in their dental life where they had an allergic reaction to latex or general anesthesia. They worry now that something catastrophic will happen and the dentist will not be able to handle it. To avoid this possible catastrophe, they avoid the dentist at all costs. Our goal here is to make the trip to the dentist’s office as calming and relaxing as possible. We can rest assure you that Dr. Brazdo is an amazing dentist with years of experience practicing in Melbourne, FL. Her years of training at the University of Florida have done her well and prepared here for anything that might happen. When you meet her for the first time, tell her your concerns. Even if you feel like your fears are irrational and uncontrollable, she will do every thing she can to put your mind at ease and let you know you’re in good hands.
3. Specific Fear: This type of fear is all too common in dental offices in Florida and all across the United States. It’s fear of needles, fear of having the dentist lecture you for not flossing every day, or fear of specific dental procedures like a root canal. Thankfully these are easy fears to remedy in our office. Just let us know what you’re afraid of and we can come up with a solution to help mitigate that fear. And don’t worry about lectures here. We know you’re an adult, we will remind you the importance of oral health though, and encourage you to do your best to prevent oral diseases.
4. Loss of Control: This is the last, and often most severe, type of fear that can create dentophobia. It often manifests itself in patients who have experienced severe emotional or physical trauma and is deep seeded in the brain. For example, those who become claustrophobic, or feel trapped when the sit in the exam chair may feel particularly terrified to come to the dentist because it brings up memories of past traumas. At Artistic Touch Dentistry, our goal is to help you understand that dental visits are compassionate and gentle. Let us know about your anxiety and fears before the appointment so that we can create a plan to help you feel safe and comfortable.  We strive to do our best and help change your idea about the dentist.

Fear of the dentist is extremely common. At Artistic Touch Dentistry, we want you to feel like you’re coming home every time you schedule a routine check up or procedure. Avoiding an appointment could be very detrimental to your health by leading to cavities and gum disease. By not preventing the problem, you could potentially exacerbate the issue and cause yourself increased pain and anxiety from the treatments that may be necessary. Do your best to prevent oral disease and contact us today. Don’t feel ashamed by your dentophobia, let us know what you’re feeling and we will do our best to help you cope with your fears. We want to show you how gentle and caring dentistry can be so you look forward to you twice yearly appointments with Dr. Brazdo.