Some people tend to get a little uneasy when it comes to medical appointments in general. But for some reason, a relatively high number of people seem to particularly fear the dentist. The interesting thing is that this panic is often times just as likely to precede a regular dental cleaning as it is a cavity-filling or root canal session. The question is: Why? What is it about dentists that’s just so unsettling and scary?
As a dentist who’s been practicing for 30 years, Medford, New Jersey’s Dr. Stuart Levy is no stranger to fearful patients. In fact, in his experience, he has found that patients often have a difficult time distinguishing between the concepts of “fear” and “hate.” Dr Levy has been told “Nothing personal, but I hate dentists” on numerous occasions, and although he won’t hold such statements against his patients, he will always do his best to get them to alter this line of thinking.
One reason Dr. Levy thinks that so many people hate — er, fear — dentists is the fact that a fair amount of dental work involves the use of needles. While some folks get panicky around needles in general, others can tolerate them provided that they are being used to inject less sensitive areas of the body, such as the arm. For many, the idea of receiving an oral injection is enough to send them over the edge. Little do such patients know that new techniques are available to dentists designed to make the oral injection process a lot less painful and scary. However, since these tools are relatively new and not all dental offices carry them, most people aren’t aware that such better options even exist.
Of course, plenty of people have no problem with needles but fear the dentist nonetheless. Dr. Levy thinks that such sentiments might actually be based on past experiences. Unfortunately, some dentists are less thorough and attentive than others, so some patients might have found themselves in situations where they were given anesthesia and it either didn’t work at all, or didn’t work well enough. Others might have experienced raising their hands to notify their dentists of their discomfort, only to have found themselves ignored. For such people, the memory of having been in pain during a dental procedure could easily be enough to perpetuate a fear of all dentists.
One final thing that tends to scare dental patients is the lack of control that exists during most dental treatments. When a patient loses the ability to temporarily communicate, it puts him in a vulnerable position of not being able to do anything to prevent additional pain. This type of situation can easily cause a patient to go from mildly anxious to downright terrified based on the length of time during which he must surrender control.
The good thing about Dr. Levy is that he not only understands why patients fear the dentist, but actually actively aims to address patient issues rather than ignore them or simply use medication to make them go away. In order to help patients who are fearful of needles, Dr. Levy uses a new anesthesia delivery system called the Wand, which is far less painful than a standard dental syringe and also looks a lot less intimidating. The presence of a small, pen-like device, as opposed to a huge, threatening needle, makes the idea of getting an injection seem far less horrifying to many.
As far as pain management and control are concerned, Dr. Levy likes to reassure his patients that as a trained dentist, he is able to immediately detect when a patient is in pain. While he will also make certain to explain that he’ll stop at an instant once a patient’s hand goes up to convey discomfort, the fact of the matter is that it usually doesn’t get to that point. By being in tune with his patients and paying attention to their body language and reactions, Dr. Levy can gauge the extent to which someone is in pain and address the problem without delay. By talking to his patients and addressing these issues, Dr. Levy is often able to alleviate their fears and help them realize that there is actually a whole lot less to be afraid of than they might have initially thought.
If you find yourself trembling every time you hear the word “dentist,” then realize that sometimes, all it takes is the right dentist to turn a daunting situation into one that is both physically and mentally manageable. Of course, going to the dentist is probably never going to be something that you actually look forward to, but over time, you might come to realize that dentists aren’t all that scary or all that bad.
The information in the article is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.
