Almost all residents of our country are concerned about how not to be afraid of the dentist and calmly visit the doctor to take care of their oral health. This question is especially acute for those who still remember how teeth were treated in Soviet dentistry. Dentophobia is not a fiction. Thousands of people all over the planet experience genuine fear of dental treatment. Fear not only affects the psyche of patients, but also adversely affects the health of the teeth and the entire body.
What if there is gangrene?
Any modern person knows that prevention is better than cure, that “twice a year is a must...”, however, most of us tend to delay a visit to a medical facility as long as possible. Even if you are not inclined to dramatize, suspecting you are having a heart attack as soon as you feel a pain in your chest, or seeing gangrene in any pimple, it is still scary. And the same person who knows everything about prevention and medical examination will rush not to the clinic, but to the computer: study the symptoms and make a diagnosis. You endlessly study the Internet in search of similar symptoms and, of course, find the very diagnosis that you fear most. Then planning a visit to the doctor turns into real torture.
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What happens to a person with iatrophobia?
A process starts in the body when the brain gives a signal for the release of adrenaline. The body cannot cope with its amount. This causes a sharp deterioration in health (tachycardia, high blood pressure, diarrhea and trembling of the limbs, dry mouth, shortness of breath, complete lack of understanding of the current situation, inappropriate behavior).
Phobia of fear of doctors requires treatment, but the patient needs to go directly to the person he is already afraid of! It turns out to be a complete vicious circle! But this is not a hopeless situation.
help yourself
We are not talking about self-medication, but about reducing anxiety. Psychologists have a concept called “fear of fear.” A person knows that anxiety increases blood pressure, and begins to worry about his anxiety... The strong-willed messages “I shouldn’t be afraid... I should be calm...” have the opposite effect.
Don't stop yourself from worrying. Just set aside a certain time for anxiety. For example, as a smart person, I get anxious not knowing what is happening. I have every right to worry. And will. Today from 17.34 to 17.47. And don't forget to track the time accurately.
You can reduce the degree of emotional stress if you make going to the clinic a routine procedure. Plan your day so that before visiting the doctor there are completely mundane things to do: pay utility bills, walk the dog, go to the doctor, and then head to the mall. Then a consultation with a doctor will no longer seem like something out of the ordinary, and everyday worries rarely cause fear. Try to make sure that upon returning from the clinic you have the opportunity to have a pleasant time, for example, buy yourself some new clothes or cook your favorite dish - a small reward for those who overcame fear certainly won’t hurt. However, this does not mean that you should perceive going to the doctor as a feat, so something too desirable or expensive should not be used as a reward. And be extremely careful with the desire to treat yourself to something tasty for the suffering you have experienced. The habit of stress eating is very easy to form and is very expensive: excess weight and the risk of the most serious diseases associated with it, too expensive a price to pay for the momentary pleasure of a sausage or cake.
It’s useful to imagine how, a few years later, you are laughingly telling your children or grandchildren how worried you were about an illness that turned out to be pure nonsense, how you put off visiting a doctor out of fear, and how you were tormented by imaginary problems.
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Reasons for being afraid of the dentist
There are brave souls who fearlessly go to the dentist and rejoice in the fact that they will soon become even healthier, but there are very few of them. Most people dread going to the dentist. The reasons why patients are afraid to go to the dentist are common fears.
Fear #1. It will hurt me a lot!
Fear of pain is the most common and severe, and can arise for several reasons:
- Stories from relatives or friends about the pain they experienced during dental treatment. Stories from the distant past sound especially frightening, when there were no effective painkillers, and old drills inspired fear not only with their sound, but also with their appearance.
- Fear coming from childhood. Often parents choose the wrong tactics for hygienic education of children: by forcing children to brush their teeth, they scare them with toothache and doctors. In adulthood, the subconscious revives pictures from childhood, and fear appears.
- Personal negative experience of dental treatment. A person remembers all the painful procedures he had to endure at the dentist's office.
- Low threshold of pain sensitivity in the patient.
How to deal with this fear You need to understand that modern dentistry allows you to treat your teeth completely painlessly. There are two types of anesthesia:
- Local - the anesthetic relieves sensitivity only where medical intervention is planned. To administer anesthesia, carpule syringes are used, the needles of which are thinner than those of any other disposable syringes. This allows you to reduce pain during the injection. Modern anesthetics Ultracaine, Septanest, Mepivastezin, Ubistezin are several times superior in pain-relieving power to novocaine and lidocaine, which were used previously. If the patient is afraid of even minor pain, an anesthetic gel or spray with lidocaine is applied to the gum before inserting the needle.
- General is general anesthesia, it is performed using narcotic analgesics. They are administered by inhalation or intravenously, while the patient’s consciousness is turned off. General anesthesia is used when local anesthesia is ineffective, when there is a large volume of surgery, and for some medical reasons.
Sedation is also used - with the help of special drugs, the patient is put into a state of semi-sleep, but at the same time he can communicate with the doctor. The feeling of fear disappears, indifference to any manipulation appears, and mood improves. Sedation does not eliminate pain and is therefore combined with local anesthesia.
Modern equipment, which is equipped with an effective cooling system, also helps reduce pain. The use of ultrasound and laser systems in surgical dentistry facilitates complex operations.
Treatment of caries in the initial stages is possible without a drill with Icon technology: tissues affected by caries are softened with a special gel and removed; Icon liquid filling is applied on top.
Advice: Familiarize yourself with modern methods of pain relief and dental treatment, study information about clinics in your city.
When you decide to come for an appointment, tell the doctor about your fears. Agree with him on some kind of conditional sign that you will give if you suddenly feel unpleasant or hurt. The doctor will immediately stop the manipulations and take measures, for example, increasing the anesthesia.
Fear No. 2. I'm afraid of the doctor's judgment
Often, patients with bad teeth are afraid to go to an appointment only because they feel that the dentist will judge, shame them for their oral health, or express their disgust.
How to deal with this fear Think about how many different people the dentist has seen over the years of his work; it is unlikely that everyone’s dental condition was ideal.
Advice: look on the Internet for pictures of some dental diseases, for example, generalized caries. For a doctor, such things are everyday practice, and he certainly won’t be surprised by your teeth.
Fear #3. I'm afraid that the tooth will be removed. As long as it doesn’t hurt too much, I won’t go!
Many people, not understanding the specifics of treatment, believe that if a tooth starts to hurt, the doctor will remove it, so they avoid visiting the dentist’s office for as long as possible. Or they wait until the slight pain in the tooth goes away on its own.
How to deal with this fear It is important to understand here that teeth will never be restored without the help of a dentist. No competent specialist will remove a tooth that can be saved. But the longer a tooth is left untreated, the less likely it is to save it; the health of other organs is at risk. For example, if in the initial stages of caries you can only get by with a filling, then delaying treatment can lead to the development of pulpitis, then periodontitis, destruction of the jaw bone tissue will begin, and the infection will spread through the bloodstream to other organs (heart, kidneys).
If a tooth is lost, prosthetics will be needed to restore the chewing and aesthetic functions of the jaw, and this entails an increase in the cost of treatment. It is wiser to protect the natural health of your teeth.
Advice: Make an appointment with your doctor for a consultation without treatment. Discuss with your doctor the condition of your teeth, upcoming procedures and their cost. Ask your dentist what processes will occur in the diseased tooth if it is not treated; what complications does this threaten?
Fear No. 4: The doctor will make a mistake or infect me with something.
If you had a negative treatment experience in the past, an incorrect diagnosis was made and complications arose because of this, it is natural to fear that history will repeat itself.
Due to the prevalence of HIV and hepatitis viruses, cases of infection with these infections through dental instruments are widely known. Therefore, the fear of becoming infected during treatment is well founded.
How to deal with this fear The fear of medical error can be avoided by turning to a specialist who regularly treats good friends or relatives. Numerous positive reviews about the dentist will reassure you and give you confidence.
Some patients are frightened by the unknown: not knowing what the doctor is doing, they simply shrink in fear in the chair. An attentive dentist will explain his actions, which will relieve all the patient’s worries and fears.
For those who are afraid of contracting hepatitis or HIV infection, dental clinics offer the “AntiAIDS-Antihepatitis” program: it includes using a special method to ensure the sterility of all instruments and materials.
Advice: make an appointment with a doctor, talk to him, get acquainted with the equipment in his office and methods of work.
Find out which clinic in your city takes part in the AntiAIDS-Antihepatitis program.
What to do with health
Sometimes feeling unwell gives certain bonuses. Firstly, the patient is given more attention and freed from everyday problems, and secondly, anxiety about health fills the inner emptiness. It is beneficial for a person to be sick, since it gives indulgence to do nothing (I feel so bad), to be irresponsible (you have no right to demand when I am in this state), to be unsuccessful (if I were healthy, then, of course, I would and so...).
To get out of this situation, first think about what your illness gives you. Then ask yourself the question: “What will I do when I stop getting sick and worrying? What will I do when I feel good?” The question “Why be healthy?” It sounds almost absurd (obviously), but this is a really serious question that requires the most honest answer possible. Lying to yourself is an expensive pleasure. Maybe you could finally tidy up your summer cottage or take care of your grandchildren? Or maybe you have long been dreaming of a vacation in warmer climes? If the motivation is strong enough, the fear of going to the doctor will disappear by itself.
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How to deal with phobia of fear of doctors
There are several options.
Sometimes a psychologist uses a method such as hypnosis treatment, group therapy, or psychoanalysis sessions.
If a person’s psyche is upset to a critical state, then drug treatment is carried out. The treating specialist prescribes sedatives (motherwort, valerian, phytosed, glycesed, sedistress, glycine).
In the complex, you can add treatment with folk remedies (decoction of mint, lemon balm, linden inflorescence, lavender, hops, chamomile).
Here are some recipes for soothing decoctions and tinctures:
- The tincture consists of equal parts of valerian root, fennel fruit, mint, lemon balm and caraway. Brew one tablespoon of the prepared raw material per glass of boiling water.
- This tea has a very fast effect: one part St. John's wort, horsetail, two parts black and green tea. Brew two tablespoons of this mixture in half a liter of water and leave. Add honey to taste.
- This tincture is also very calming: Two bay leaves, two cloves, a small piece of ginger and one teaspoon of cumin. Pour boiling water over and boil for ten minutes, and then infuse. All these soothing tinctures must be taken morning and evening, half a glass*
- Valerian roots, oats and lemon balm, peony rhizomes, motherwort, common hop cones - all this is mixed in equal parts and poured with vodka or alcohol. Infuse for half a month and then filter. Take one teaspoon before bedtime.
Important: never self-medicate. Consult your doctor even if you decide to drink soothing teas and tinctures, as they may have an adverse effect if taken uncontrolled. All of them have contraindications.
And if still...
Unfortunately, fears for your health are not always unfounded. Many people have real reasons to worry. Don't push away heavy thoughts. Instead, imagine the worst-case scenario. Think through in detail what you will do if your nightmares come true, how your loved ones will behave. Do this once. And then tell yourself: “So, there is an action plan for the most extreme case, now I will consider less exotic options.”
After this, try to imagine how else your problem can be resolved, what possibilities, options, and outcomes exist. Now it’s no longer so scary to think about a plan of action, because the ultimate option has been worked out and put aside.
And then the horror that eats you from the inside will be replaced by specific actions. This means that you will be able to talk more calmly about what is happening to you and look for the best way out of difficult circumstances - sign up for consultations with different specialists, undergo additional examinations, try different treatment regimens. Once you take action, fear will go away.
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How to overcome this phobia
Any case of fear of doctors is individual and requires specific treatment. It is possible to get rid of jatrophobia only by finding the cause. If you analyze your inner sensations, thoughts, feelings, then this can be done by the person himself. But if, when remembering the doctor, panic and hysteria begin, it is very difficult to calm down, then the help of a psychologist is needed. To avoid visiting the hospital, it is better to go to a private clinic or call a doctor at home.
If you decide to seek help from any medical institution, then take with you a person with whom you will feel at ease and calm. He will support and understand in difficult times for you.
How not to confuse the phobia of fear of doctors with ordinary fear
A striking example and portrait of a jatrophobe - he is very actively interested in treatment with folk remedies and methods of alternative medicine. All this is explained by the fact that he believes more in some grandmother’s healer, who can cure him using a photograph or simply by preparing some special decoction. This is simple self-deception.
There are cases in the practice of doctors when jatrophobia was passed on from generation to generation.
The reason why children are afraid of doctors
Or as it is also called by professionals, iatrophobia lies largely in the behavior of the parents, since the child copies this fear from adults.
He remembers their every word and expression. When they talk about how they hurt in the hospital, how dangerous and scary it is.
It is also worth taking into account the individual characteristics of the baby; some children do not like tactile communication; any touch from strangers is at least unpleasant for them. Perhaps the child has a low pain threshold and no matter what is done in any medical institution during various procedures, it causes pain for him. With such children, even after one unsuccessful visit to the clinic, it is difficult to persuade them to just go there.
In most cases, the adults with whom the child lives are to blame for jatrophobia in children. If a mother and her child behave insecurely and too emotionally when visiting the hospital, then the child feels the same way. This is where his panic and hysteria arise.
My knees are shaking!
It happens that panic seizes the patient before leaving home or on the way to the clinic. In this case, relaxation exercises will help.
If your health allows, do exercises or cleaning - any physical activity reduces stress levels and gives an outlet for accumulated adrenaline. If there is no way to relieve tension in this way, then at least go to the doctor on foot, and not by bus.
Breathing with a long exhalation. This is a yoga exercise. Breathe so that the exhalation is 1.5 times longer than the inhalation. In just 2-3 minutes you will feel the tension go away and your heart rate normalize. When the heartbeat is disrupted, the body perceives this as a threat - and panic intensifies.
Smile or bare your teeth. You can take a pencil in your teeth so that it is parallel to your shoulders and stretch your lips. If the muscles that are involved in smiling are engaged, the muscles of the collar zone automatically relax. And when the neck and shoulders are not constrained, the person calms down.
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Symptoms of phobia: fear of doctors
The manifestation of such fear in children consists of hysteria and panic. In adults, symptoms are much more severe and severe. These are headache, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, shortness of breath, a sharp increase in blood pressure, trembling limbs, rapid heartbeat, inadequate perception of what is happening, sleep disturbance, dry mouth, excessive sweating, blurred vision (darkening in the eyes).
People suffering from this fear postpone visiting the hospital until a critical moment. Therefore, this can end sadly, even fatally.
How is fear formed? Why are children afraid of injections, but adults can and should talk to them about pain?
Let's start with how fear is formed. Most often, a strong fear of medical procedures begins to develop in a child from one to three years of age. Including because of the behavior of parents who do not try to explain to the child what will happen to him. Having once had a negative experience, a child is afraid of vaccinations - what should parents do now? In principle, everything is simple.
The fear of doctors is actually the fear of distrust of the world. For a child, safety is largely predictability. That’s why it’s so important to be honest with your child and explain in a language he understands (games, creativity, cartoons) what awaits him, as well as why it’s needed (“to prevent teeth pain”, “to avoid getting infected”).
If you expect your child to be in pain, be honest about it. Compare the sensations with those you already know: “A little more painful than a mosquito bite,” “It’s like you’ve been pinched.”
Early diagnosis as an option not to be afraid
In total, I spent about two hours in the center - first there was an examination by a gynecologist, then a mammogram, the results of which were examined by an oncologist and rendered a verdict. In every office I was greeted as a dear guest and nowhere did I feel that I was an element interfering with the doctor’s work.
On the contrary, I even mentioned to the oncologist that I was afraid. He looked carefully and said: “You are 35. To protect yourself from illness, you just need to get checked regularly. Early diagnosis is all that has been invented so far to defeat some types of cancer.”
The gynecologist, she actually repeated simple safety rules to me several times, given my not-so-best cancer heredity, and asked (!) to come to the doctor regularly. And at the same time there was no familiarity and typically rude desire to solve the insignificant problems of my body through the birth of children. Everything was very human, simple, but tactful.
The results of the studies are sent to the patient by email within ten days, then, if necessary, a second appointment is possible. But they immediately allowed me not to come, saying that I was healthy. Yes, and they also gave me a disk with the mammography results to take with me. How convenient it is - you don’t have to carry stiff X-rays with you!
Of course, it may seem that this is all nonsense, but how do such little things affect the state of a person who has come to learn something new and, perhaps, not very pleasant about himself? And a disk instead of inconvenient pictures, and locked doors to doctors’ offices, where no one can enter while you are being examined, and no smell of bleach from the toilet.
I left the oncologist smiling. And then she smiled too, remembering how they received me at the White Rose. A person needs so little to stop being afraid - just to feel cared for.
Where does fear come from?
Several years ago I was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Three days later, this turned out to be a mistake and shadows suddenly appeared on the ultrasound monitor screen. But I still remember the doctor’s white lips, her darting gaze and fussy concern, the desire to make sure that I did not understand anything. I remember being silent for several days and not saying anything to anyone close to me. I observed the lives of other people, which suddenly became very meaningful and fast-paced. And it was as if I had separated myself under a glass dome, sitting under which I could not touch anyone. Everything about me slowed down and almost stopped.
I remember how I was waiting for an appointment with a highly qualified oncologist, where that same doctor sent me so that he could confirm or refute her discovery. I sat in the long corridor of the hospital near the operating room and watched as gray-faced women were rolled out on gurneys in oblivion, and I became as green as the wall behind me.
I remember all this down to the smallest detail - just like the fact that a highly qualified oncologist for a long time forced me to get up and lie down, bend and unbend, raise my arms and lower them. He frowned, scratched his beard and finally said: “I don’t see anything, well, nothing at all!” And he sent me for a mammogram, where I flew as if on wings.
And from there, without any diagnosis, I jumped out into the street and saw the snow under my feet, March and melting, I felt the warmth of the sun, which had previously been unable to break through the dome in which I suddenly found myself, and I realized that life was good. And one more thing: I will never, ever go to be checked for oncology just like that, without complaints.
Features and types of dentophobia
Fear of dentists is a phobia that has no rational basis and is based primarily on psychological discomfort, and not at all on physical pain. It is expressed in the fact that a person experiences panic fear of any dental procedures in his oral cavity. Such people usually wait until the last minute to visit the dentist and turn to him only when the condition of their teeth becomes completely neglected. Before this, they often resort to alternative medicine, only aggravating the situation. Psychological research shows that there are three different forms of dental phobia:
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- Acquired. This form is the most common. Based on negative experiences associated with too painful or lengthy dental treatment. A person with this form of dental phobia usually delays his next visit to the dentist until the last minute. When he finally gets to the dentist’s office, due to the advanced disease, the treatment procedure turns out to be too complicated and lengthy, which only strengthens the negative perception.
- Congenital. The rarest form of dental phobia, not associated with any negative experience. Manifests itself in an unreasonable fear of any manipulation in the oral cavity. After the first dental treatment, it is possible to either get rid of the phobia or worsen it with the appearance of a negative attitude towards dentists in general.
- Imaginary. This fear occurs in people who have never visited a dental office. It is explained by a wild imagination and incorrect perception of the entire treatment process. Usually, it is enough to overcome the fear of the dentist once, and after successful treatment, the imagined dental phobia goes away forever.
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Any of the listed forms of fear of dentists can cause a person to delay a visit to the dental office until the last minute. Such delay contributes to damage to neighboring teeth and gums, the development of pulpitis and other chronic complications. Most often, dental phobia has the following manifestations:
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- anxiety or even panic;
- tension and trembling in the muscles;
- looking for a reason to postpone treatment;
- loss of control over one's own thoughts and actions;
- nervousness and sweating;
- felt tachycardia, pressure drops;
- all kinds of digestive system disorders;
- causeless dilation of pupils;
- pre-fainting states;
- feeling of helplessness and hopelessness.
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Practice shows that previously dental phobia could be so strong that full dental treatment became simply impossible. People were afraid of any manipulation in the oral cavity and even refused prosthetics. Advanced dental diseases greatly affected a person’s appearance and interfered with building social connections and building a personal life. Despite the fact that dental phobia greatly spoiled the quality of life, there was practically no help for people with such problems before. Today the situation is somewhat different, and patients are helped to get rid of the fear of the dentist using modern psychotherapeutic methods. Such help involves a detailed study of the problem with the identification of events that caused the development of pathological fear.
Interesting facts about people's attitudes towards dentists
Effective painkillers appeared in medicine relatively recently, and in dentistry for a long time anesthesia was used only for the most painful operations. Almost always, dental treatment was carried out “live”, and the patient was forced to endure all the dentist’s manipulations in the oral cavity. After this, powerful impressions remained, which only intensified with each memory and could even develop into a real phobia. By the way, fear of dentists has three scientific names: dentophobia, stomatophobia or odontophobia (all three words are synonyms, but the most established form is dentophobia). Some statistics:
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- approximately 10% of patients experience panic fear before dental treatment;
- in 90% of cases, successful dental treatment in childhood saves a person from dental phobia for life;
- approximately 2% of Russians have never been examined by a dentist in their lives.
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As a rule, fear of dentists develops after severe stress associated with dental treatment. Pain is not necessarily the cause, since a person may experience panic simply from the sensation of strong mechanical effects on the dental tissue or jawbone. In addition, the effectiveness of anesthetic drugs can be significantly reduced due to the patient’s excessive concentration on his sensations or due to drinking alcohol “for courage.”
Psychological assistance for dental phobia
We bring to your attention some professional advice on how to overcome fear of dentists, from psychotherapists who regularly help patients solve this problem:
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- You need to understand for yourself that dental health is the basis for the health of the whole body, so it is imperative to treat them. And the sooner help is provided, the faster and simpler the procedure will be.
- If the patient cannot overcome fear on his own, then you can always use the help of a psychotherapist or psychoanalyst.
- Confidence in the competence of doctors helps to significantly reduce fear. Therefore, you need to immediately choose a good clinic that uses modern equipment and anesthesia methods.
- It is advisable to create a trusting atmosphere, so you will know that the dentist is striving to make the treatment process as comfortable as possible for you. It’s good if this is a friend or family doctor whom you always visit.
- To understand how to overcome fear of the dentist, you need to find out what causes this fear. Most often this is a misconception about the treatment process. Just talk to your doctor and ask what technologies he will use to reduce pain.
- It is advisable that the clinic be free of odors of bleach, formaldehyde, other chemicals and medications. Often these odors become the cause of psychological discomfort.
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