Dentist Phobia

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<div>Research suggests that there is a complex set of factors that lead to the development and maintenance of significant dental anxiety or dental phobia, which can be grouped as genetic, behavioural and cognitive factors.[6] In comparison to other phobias, literature on odontophobia is relatively limited. Several theories have been proposed; however, a 2014 review describes five pathways which relate specifically to development dental fear and anxiety: Cognitive Conditioning, Vicarious, Verbal Threat, Informative, and Parental. However, there may be a variety of background factors common to all general fear and anxiety conditions that may be at play and affect these more specific pathways.[6]</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>dentist phobia</div><div></div><div>Download Zip: https://t.co/RILNCFuLkk </div><div></div><div></div><div>Conditioning is defined as the process by which a person learns through personal experience that an event or stimulus will result in a detrimental outcome, e.g. "if I visit the dentist, it is going to be sore". As, expected dental fear is associated with previous traumatic experiences, especially their first one.[1] It is believed to be the most commonly used pathway for patients to develop dental fear and anxiety.[6]</div><div></div><div></div><div>The vicarious pathway suggests that fear is acquired through imagination of the feelings, experience or actions of another person. Whether this pathway occurs on its own or in combination with others is still unknown. It has been suggested that dental fear in the very young is passed through this pathway through observation of expressions of fear by elders/parents at the dentist.[6]</div><div></div><div></div><div>The management of people with dental fear can be done using shorter term methods such as hypnosis and general anesthetic, or longer term methods such as cognitive behavioral therapy and the development of coping skills. Short term methods have been proven to be ineffective for long-term treatment of the phobia, since many return to a pattern of treatment avoidance afterwards. Psychological approaches are more effective at maintaining regular dental care, but demand more knowledge from the dentist and motivation from the patient[3]</div><div></div><div></div><div>Modelling is a form of psycho-behavioural therapy used to alleviate dental fear. Commonly used in paediatric dentistry, it involves the showing of a procedure under a simulated environment. It allows the patient to observe the behaviour of a friend, family member, or other patient when put in a similar situation, therefore, accommodating for the learning of new coping mechanisms.[5] Modelling can be presented live using a parent or actor as well as virtually through pre-recorded films.[4]</div><div></div><div></div><div>Tell-show-do is a common non-pharmacological practice used to manage behaviour such as dental fear, especially in paediatric dentistry.[5] The purpose of this intervention is to promote a positive attitude towards dentistry and to build a relationship with the patient to improve compliance. The patient is gradually introduced to the treatment. Firstly, the dentist "tells" the patient what the dental procedure will be using words. In 'show' phase, the patient is familiarized with dental treatment using demonstrations. Lastly, in 'do' phase, the dentist proceeds with the treatment following the same procedure and demonstrations illustrated to the patient.[12]</div><div></div><div></div><div>A technique known as behavioral control involves the person giving a signal to the clinician when to stop the procedure. This could be simply raising a hand to let the clinician know, however, the signal that is chosen will be discussed prior. This technique provides the people with a sense of control over the appointment and as so, instills trust in the dentist.[4]</div><div></div><div></div><div>Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) appears to decrease dental fear and improve the frequency people go to the dentist.[13] CBT for dental anxiety is often performed by psychologists, but the effect has proven to be good also when administered by trained dentists.[14][11] Other measures that may be useful include distraction, guided imagery, relaxation techniques, and music therapy.[4][15] Behavior techniques are believed to be sufficient for the majority of people with mild anxiety.[16] The quality of the evidence to support this, however, is low.[17]</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>Desensitisation in dentistry refers to the gradual exposure of a new procedure to the patient in order to calm their anxiety. It is based on the principle that a patient can overcome their anxiety if they are gradually exposed to the feared stimuli, whether imagined or real, in a controlled and systematic way. Exposure to the feared stimuli or situation is recognised as a central treatment component for specific phobias.[19][20]</div><div></div><div></div><div>Conscious sedation refers to the use of a single or combination of drugs to help relax and reduce pain during a medical or dental procedure. There are a range of techniques and drugs that can be used; these need to be tailored to the individual need of the patient taking into account the medical history, the skill and training of the dentist/sedationist and the facilities and equipment available. Conscious sedation is traditionally considered a short-term solution for patients with dental anxiety, but recent research indicate that provided good communication techniques and the use of other adaptations throughout the treatment, the dental anxiety reduction achieved may be lasting.[11]</div><div></div><div></div><div>Dental phobia is a more serious condition than anxiety. It leaves people panic-stricken and terrified. People with dental phobia have an awareness that the fear is totally irrational, but are unable to do much about it. They exhibit classic avoidance behavior; that is, they will do everything possible to avoid going to the dentist. People with dental phobia usually go to the dentist only when forced to do so by extreme pain. Pathologic anxiety or phobia may require psychiatric consultation in some cases.</div><div></div><div></div><div>Embarrassment and loss of personal space. Many people feel uncomfortable about the physical closeness of the dentist or hygienist to their face. Others may feel self-conscious about the appearance of their teeth or possible mouth odors.</div><div></div><div></div><div>The key to coping with dental anxiety is to discuss your fears with your dentist. Once your dentist knows what your fears are, they will be better able to work with you to determine the best ways to make you less anxious and more comfortable. If your dentist doesn't take your fear seriously, find another dentist.</div><div></div><div></div><div>If lack of control is one of your main stressors, actively participating in a discussion with your dentist about your treatment can ease your tension. Ask your dentist to explain what's happening at every stage of the procedure. This way you can mentally prepare for what's to come. Another helpful strategy is to establish a signal -- such as raising your hand -- when you want the dentist to immediately stop. Use this signal whenever you are uncomfortable, need to rinse your mouth, or simply need to catch your breath.</div><div></div><div></div><div>To understand these aetiological factors, Eli et al. [22] assessed patient dental anxiety using the Dental Anxiety Survey, and psychological distress profiles were determined by the Symptom Check List (SCL-90). Patients were asked to complete a dentist evaluation questionnaire. It was shown that the best predictor of dental anxiety was the patient's evaluation of their present dentist followed by previous dental anxiety. The three SCL-90 dimensions of patient interpersonal sensitivity, anxiety and phobic anxiety correlate with present dental anxiety. Therefore, a patient's dental anxiety was negatively correlated with a positive evaluation of their dentist.</div><div></div><div></div><div>It has been suggested that when the traumatic dental episode occurs in childhood it has a lasting effect with regard to adult DFA. As previously mentioned, Locker et al. [19] found that half of those suffering from DFA developed their fear or anxiety in childhood, highlighting the need to understand how children acquire DFA. ten Berge et al. [25] examined how children acquire dental fear, specifically with regard to invasive treatment experiences. Regression analysis showed that there was a significant relationship between child DFA and the number of extractions a child had experienced; suggesting that one of the causes of DFA was invasive dental treatment. An interesting additional finding by ten Berge et al. [25] was that children who had experienced more check-up visits before they experienced their first curative treatment (i.e. they had a longer history of non-invasive experiences) reported low levels of dental fear. This suggests that the longer the child continues to have a positive experience when visiting the dentist the less likely they are to become dentally fearful whenever they do eventually have a negative experience, referred to as latent inhibition.</div><div></div><div></div><div>In a systematic review and meta-analysis of 43 experimental studies about parental and child dental fear, Themessl-Huber et al. [33] confirmed that there was a significant relationship between child and parental dental fear. The interplay between both the mother's and the father's dental fear was further examined and it was found that, in a family, both the mother's dental anxiety and the father's dental anxiety are significant predictors of child DFA [34]. Similarly, Locker et al. [19] found an association between the onset age of dental anxiety and a family history of dental anxiety, which would confirm that vicarious learning is a potential cause of DFA. Specifically, Locker et al. [19] found that 56% of participants who reported child onset dental anxiety had a parent or sibling who also suffered anxiety about dental treatment. This suggests that, as children, these participants indirectly learned their anxious response to dental treatment by observing the behaviour of those around them. The authors noted that the association with a family history of dental anxiety only existed with child onset anxiety, which confirmed the findings of Öst [35] that child onset phobias were more likely to develop through vicarious learning compared to those phobias that have their onset in adulthood.</div><div></div><div></div><div>There is one gentle and effective method that has worked time and time again, even for patients with extreme dental phobia. That method is sedation dentistry. You can read reviews from patients just like you who now feel comfortable in our chair thanks to sedation.</div><div></div><div> dafc88bca6</div>