Dentist Visits For Those Who Are Phobic

The reactions of those who have a phobia can be severely debilitating, the unwarranted physical reaction to an item or action that cause the phobia can be intense and add physical distress to what is already a mentally stressful moment. Dentophobia or Odontophobia is the fear of being worked on by a dentist or even the prospect of a visit to a dental office. There may be other items or procedures that your dental office may use that can cause phobic reactions. They may use hypodermic needles or the sound of a dental drill can put some on edge. The idea of coming in contact of what you are phobic of can be enough to lead you to avoid visiting a dental office for anything other the most extreme of emergencies.

Your oral health can affect the health of your whole body, many conditions or diseases have early warning symptoms that can be present in the gums and other areas of the mouth. Regular dentist visits can help provide the early diagnosis you need to ensure that these issues are discovered in good time. Ignoring oral hygiene can in certain scenarios lead to infections that if are left unchecked may spread to the rest of the body. If you experience recurring discomfort or pain you should ensure that you visit a dental office as soon as possible, these can be indicative of larger health problems or infections. You should also not neglect the aesthetic and hygienic aspects of regular dental health checkups, regular cleanings can avoid unattractive stains associated with drinking coffee, tea or red wine.

For those with genuine phobic reactions to visiting the dentist there are options available to help you complete oral health care visits with the minimum stress and discomfort. Some of those who suffer from a phobia of dental health visits have found relief and success with hypnotherapy techniques of deep relaxation and suggestion. These techniques can manage fear reactions and lessen them in some cases, not everyone is susceptible to post hypnotic suggestion however and some are unable to even be placed into a state of hypnotic relaxation. If you have considered other options for helping lessen phobic reactions then it may be time to think about a medication based solution. Sedation dentistry has become increasingly popular over the last few years and recent advances in medication make it more convenient than ever. With a relatively low dose of a medium strength sedative you can complete dental health visits in a relaxed and comfortable environment without experiencing major phobic reaction. In the hours after a sedative has been administered the patient may feel drowsy or otherwise a little "out of it" this is a normal side effect of this type of medication and should be nothing to worry about.