Is your fear of visiting your dentist
giving you sleepless nights? Does the mention of a dentist invoke fearful
thoughts? Well then you are more likely to suffer from poor oral health in the
form of decayed teeth or maybe even missing teeth. What is the relation between
the two? Read below to find out.
What is dental phobia?
Children
associate the name ‘dentist’ with syringes and pain. To control a child in a
dental clinic, when faced with procedures such as extraction, becomes a huge
task in itself. Hence tantrums thrown by children in a dental clinic are not
new. However, only children are not the victims of this phobia. Adults are equally
phobic, and they too avoid dental visits.
Many
people are afraid of the white apron worn by the dental practitioners whereas
others may be fearful of even the smell of the dental clinic. Many a people
faint at the sight of blood.
The downside to this phobia
This
hatred prevents people from visiting dentists on a regular basis. The result
being poor oral health. They tend to suffer even from preventable oral diseases
just because of this phobia. They more commonly have decayed or missing teeth
as compared to people without the phobia.
People suffering from dental phobia also have a poor quality of life. Their overall wellbeing is adversely affected, be it emotional, physiological, psychological and even social. They tend to become reserved and introverted. And this further exacerbates the condition.
Loss of
self-confidence is a very commonly observed ailment in such patients. They seem
to have negative body image as they are unable to even to smile because of the
poor condition of their teeth which seems embarrassing to them. An overall
negative approach to life leads them slowly into depression.
The Solution to the Problem
According to Dentzz reviews based on research, such patients should be treated for the long term rather than shorter visits to the dentist. For example, they should be advised extraction rather than regular oral prophylaxis or surgeries. Also, such patients should be trained to perform at home dental care in the interim period to avoid preventable oral diseases.
They
can be taught the brushing techniques to enable better removal of plaque. They
should be advised brushing twice daily with a fluoridated toothpaste. Flossing
should be mandatory for them to perform once in a day.
Children
are more prone to dental problems because of their inability to understand and
follow the techniques correctly. Hence preventive restorations and at- home
fluoride application kits should be advised. Preventive resin restorations are
also a good choice for the same.