Dentophobia - is it really a thing?

A major reason to resist oral health check-ups and treatment is the fear of the dental doctor. It is a well-known fact that 75% of the United States is afraid to see a dental doctor. Out of this percentage, around 10% to 15% of the population is suffering from severe dentophobia which means fear of the dental doctor. Rather than considering it a disease, the patients consider it a flaw of the dental doctor and their "monstrous" equipment. In order to overcome the disease, it is quite important to understand that it is a fatal disease not a flaw of a dentist, and it has a cure.

This term is dentophobia has a number of synonyms including dental fear, dental anxiety, odontophobia or dentophobia. In most of the cases, the horrendous previous experiences become the cause of this phobia. The experiences include painful processes and damages of surgeries. Another reason could be the non-welcoming attitude of the dental doctor which creates a bad impression for the profession too. The impression could be adjusted by the affectionate and caring behavior of the previously rude dental doctor.

Personal experiences are not always the core reason for the disease. The fear of dental treatments and the dentist could be brought in directly. In the current age, people are most likely to believe in what they see and hearing ignoring what the reality is.

In order to provide a considerable cure, dental doctors work with psychologists oftentimes to provide a better environment and medication to the victim of the disease. Positive attitude towards the patient reduces the fear and boost the confidence of the patient. Relaxation methods are also useful. In addition, medication is another way to provide a cure to the fear of the dentist.