There are hundreds, perhaps thousands of phobias that individuals deal with every day. The term comes from the Greek word that means “fear” or “morbid fear” and is understood to be type of anxiety disorder by clinical psychologists. Most phobias are relatively minor and dont affect peoples lives inside a negative way. Perhaps they have a fear of spiders (arachnophobia) or even an aversion to snakes (ophidiophobia). As common as they might be, these phobias are often simple to manage, since most folks dont encounter snakes or spiders regularly.

There are, however, phobias that can adversely affect an individuals mental or physical wellness. One of the most common ones is dentophobia. The condition is so common that it is also known as odontophobia, dentist phobia, dental anxiety, or dental fear. According to reliable estimates, 75 percent of patients experience some extent of fear before they sit down in their dentists chairs. In extreme cases, this fear is so overwhelming that it rises to the amount of a phobia. A person that is affected with dentophobia may and often will steer clear of the dental visits at all costs.

What are the risks?

No matter how frequently we brush, floss, or gargle, we need professional dentists to check on our teeth every once in awhile. Common problems like cavities, gum disease, and dental abscesses can form even if we follow all the guidelines. All of the previously mentioned are degenerative problems, which mean they wont get better even if we brush after every single mean. As common and seemingly innocuous as they might be, cavities can lead to pain, infections, and tooth loss.

Many people who are afflicted by intense cases of dentophobia avoid the dentist for years, even decades. And when they have dental issues, such as a toothache, they often self medicate. Using over-the- counter analgesics and aspirin to treat these problems is not the answer, because it isnt actual treatment! Even if the pain disappears for an hour or perhaps a week, the problem does not get better. A cavity will worsen over time and the actual inevitable result, if left untreated, will be tooth loss.

Is there an alternative?

For people who have intense dental fear as well as require treatment, sedation dentistry may be the best option. Also known as rest dentistry, it is used with regard to patients who want something that will help them relax during the actual dental procedure. It is important to note that none of the drugs that are administered during sedation the field of dentistry procedures will actually put the patient to sleep, which makes the term sleep dentistry a misnomer.

The three most common methods to administer these drugs tend to be orally, intravenously, or as an inhalant. All of the anesthetics that are used are quite safe and can not put the individual to sleep. That said, most patients remember almost nothing of their sedation the field of dentistry procedures.

The Benefits

Some dentists argue that sedation dentistry is really a crutch, since it does not encourage patients to conquer their fears. This is a valid argument and point. But the truth is that drugs are utilized in most dental methods. It is up to the dentist to decide whether a specific patient needs a stronger class of drugs to help him relax. If he truly believes that the patient will not be able to sit still and can not let him do his job, he should offer sedation dentistry being an option.

sleep dentistry


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