Jerry Seinfeld has a great joke that goes something like this.  According to a recent study, the two biggest human fears are death and public speaking.  But here’s the most interesting part.  Death came in second place.  Second!  Public speaking beat death for the top spot.  Which means……people rather be the person in the casket than the person giving the eulogy!

Like public speaking and death, a dental visit is also high on the human fear list, but not as high.  People still prefer dental visits over death.  I’ll chalk that up as a good thing.  I think.

But seriously.  Dental fear is a real thing.  It’s not just something “in your head”.  And, unfortunately, it stops many people from optimizing their dental health.  But it doesn’t have to.

The following techniques will help reduce, and in some cases eliminate, your dental fear.
– Maintain control.  Before starting treatment, agree on a signal to let the dentist know when you need to stop (e.g. raise your left hand).
– Distraction.  Headphones, sunglasses, sleep mask, squeezing a ball, etc. can help distract you from the sights and sounds of a dental office.
– Short appointments.  Doing minimal work at each appointment will allow you to get in and get out of the dental office as quickly as possible.
– Frequent breaks.  Don’t be embarrassed if you need to take numerous breaks during the procedure.  Breathing exercises during breaks may also be helpful.
– No pressure visit.  Schedule a visit to meet the dentist and take a tour of the office.  Exposure to the dental environment without having treatment scheduled may help reduce your fear for the next appointment.
– Bring a friend.  This is just another form of distraction.  Have someone else you can chit chat and joke around with.
– Drugs.  Don’t take Nancy Reagan’s advice on this one.  Just say yes to drugs (if needed).  Sedation dentistry can range widely from mild (nitrous oxide “laughing gas”) to deep (general anesthesia).  The vast majority of patients who need or want sedation will only need the mild and moderate forms of it.

Don’t let fear keep you from seeing your dentist.  If it’s been a while, pick up the phone and call your dentist today, even if it’s just to ask questions.  To help alleviate some of your fears even more, I can guarantee at least this.  Your dentist will not ask you to give a public speech during your dental appointment.  Any dental procedure is a walk in the park compared to that horror!  Am I right people?

Mark Frias, RDH