Dental fear, or dentophobia, is a normal emotional reaction to one or more specific threatening stimuli in the dental situation.
Signs and symptoms of dental anxiety
sweating. racing heartbeat (tachycardia) or palpitations. low blood pressure and possible fainting (syncope) visible distress, crying or signs of panic.
Fear of dental treatment is described in both ICD-10 classification and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, DSM-IV, in specific (isolated) phobias, a subgroup of anxiety disorders [9, 10].
According to researchers, anywhere between 50 and 80% of adults in the United States have some degree of dental anxiety, ranging from mild to severe. More than 20% of dentally anxious patients do not see a dentist regularly, and anywhere from 9 to 15% of anxious patients avoid care altogether.
During routine dental examinations and cleanings, dentists can detect oral symptoms of stress, including orofacial pain, bruxism, temporomandibular disorders (TMJ), mouth sores and gum disease. If you're feeling tense or anxious, you should keep a watchful eye for signs of the following stress-related disorders.
Patients who are anxious about visiting the dentist often avoid their cleaning appointments and exams, letting their oral health issues go untreated for long periods of time. As such, dental phobia can have a significant negative impact on oral health, often leading to tooth loss and the development of gum disease.
Clenching and grinding can be accelerated by stress and is a common cause for tooth-aches and jaw disorders. The added pressure to your teeth when clenching can cause individual or multiple teeth to become “hyper-aware” to other stimuli like temperature, chewing, and brushing.
Dental fear is defined as a negative reaction to specific threatening stimuli associated with dental treatment, whereas dental anxiety is an excessive or impairing negative emotional state experienced by dental patients [1,2].
The most commonly prescribed dental related drugs that treat anxiety belong to the “benzodiazepine” family. Drugs such as Valium, Halcion, Xanax, or Ativan. These drugs decrease anxiety by binding and toning down activity within “fear” receptors in the brain.
Nervous tension, anger and frustration can cause people to clench and grind their teeth without even realizing it. Therefore, it is important for you to keep an eye out for the following signs: tips of the teeth appearing flat, tooth enamel that is rubbed off causing extreme sensitivity, and tongue indentations.
If you haven't been to the dentist for quite some time now, you're going to need professional dental cleaning. Since you haven't been to the dentist for several years, you will likely have plaque buildup around your teeth. This is perfectly normal and is not something to be embarrassed about.
There are many conditions we can identify during a visual examination of your oral cavity, even if you don't know you suffer from them. This includes mental health problems such as depression. Recent studies suggest that depression conclude depression is closely related to poor oral health.
The most common triggers are thoughts of pain, the injection of local anesthetic (the “shot”), or choking or gagging during the procedure. These are quite understandable fears, especially if you have experienced trauma or stress from these things in the past.
Putting anxious patients in control of the appointment, such as allowing them to dictate start and stop times, can help relax their mental state. Physical relaxation is part of the equation as well, with breathing techniques, pleasant aromas, and calming music all playing a role.
Crying or feeling the desire to cry is extremely common when you are experiencing high levels of anxiety. Pay attention to your emotions when you are thinking about a visit to the dental office.
Many people fear the dentist due to common misconceptions. Many people imagine specific dental procedures, such as root canals or extractions, as being very painful. While this may have been true many years ago, new technology and anesthesia can make your trips to the dentist painless and even comfortable.
Dental anxiety is often caused by a fear of the unknown. Patients may notice something on a tooth or on the gums that they are not familiar with, which can cause feelings of anxiety.
Yes, a toothache caused by stress is possible. Stress and nerves can cause tension effects on the jaw, with stress often causing a person to grind their teeth. When you are clenching the jaw due to stress you can easily cause aches and pains, which is typically a result of wearing down the enamel.
Something as simple as brushing your teeth twice a day can help your overall teeth health and make you more confident about your teeth. Brushing can improve the way your teeth look even if they are not straight. Brushing will keep teeth healthy and make it easier to get dental work to fix more complex problems.
Yes, your dental health can affect your mental health. “When your oral health is suffering, it can decrease the quality of your life or exacerbate mental health issues,” explains Dr. Albers. “If you feel embarrassed about the health of your teeth, you may notice that this triggers some social anxiety.
If an infection reaches the gums, it can get into the bloodstream and wreak havoc on the rest of the body, including the brain. Oral infections and decay can affect behavior and mental health. Poor oral health, missing teeth, and severe dental problems can also play a role in self-esteem and reduced self-confidence.
'” Usually, dental patients in pain or the throes of anxiety will close their eyes. That's not a problem, dentists say, unless they're tensing up the rest of their faces, too.