What is dental phobia and dental anxiety?

It is fair to say that few people prefer to go to the dentist. In fact, more than 45% of Britons report worrying about a visit to the dentist and nearly 12% have an anxiety level so high that they would avoid a long-term visit in case of emergency. For these people – who may be considered to have a phobia of the dentist – even just thinking about a visit can lead to horrible feelings and sleepless nights.

Our previous research has shown that people with dental phobia tend to have worse oral health and more holes (cavities) in their teeth. This may be due to missed dental appointments, poor oral hygiene, and bad brushing habits. This, badociated with smoking, which causes gum disease, and high sugar consumption, which causes big holes.

Poor oral health can affect people's lives in many ways, especially when they eat, talk and smile. Teething problems can prevent people from opening their mouths in social situations and broken or missing teeth can also make it difficult to eat and chew. Despite this, many people with phobia are waiting for their toothache to become unbearable before going to the dentist.

A vicious circle

In these situations, when a patient has been slow to consult a dentist for a long time, it is more likely that he will need a complex treatment, such as a root cbad, a crown or a surgical extraction (tooth). deletion). Indeed, if a hole is not treated, decay can progress by breaking down more dental material – exposing the nerve located in the tooth – and thus infecting the patient.

As tooth decay progresses, the tooth can decompose so dramatically – sometimes below the gum line – making extraction more difficult. For the patient, this often means more risk of pain after extraction and more time spent in the dentist's chair.

Of course, any treatment for people with dental phobia can be a source of anxiety, but complex dental work that requires more time in the dental chair and sometimes multiple visits can be terrifying.

Need to be sedated

Another problem is that some patients with dental phobia can only receive dental treatment if conscious sedation is offered. This can be provided by dentists who have the experience and training to provide this type of sedation. Gas and air medications or sedatives such as midazolam may help patients feel more relaxed and calmer during dental procedures. In other cases, patients may be subjected to general anesthesia – but this must be done at the hospital.

That being said, specialist firms and dentists who treat people with dental phobias within the NHS – and therefore are able to offer longer slots – often have a long list of waiting lists. This can leave patients in a difficult situation if they have dental problems and a lot of pain, but that they are too afraid to follow a standardized treatment.

Other ways to help patients

An option that some hospitals and practices use is Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) to help patients overcome their dental phobia. An earlier study at King's College London showed that CBT was very effective for patients with dental phobia – allowing them to overcome their fear of seeing a dentist and even receiving treatment without sedation.

We are also seeking for these patients more suitable advice on oral hygiene practices – such as a better brushing technique and tips for quitting. The hope is that being armed with more knowledge will help these patients to have more confidence in their oral hygiene, which should help prevent other diseases – and reduce the anxiety badociated with dental visits.

In the end, any phobia can be difficult to manage, but if it's a phobia that affects your daily health and quality of life, its effects can be devastating. So, because research shows that some phobias can reign in families, it's clear that it's not just about helping today's patients, but helping tomorrow's patients.