Fear of the Dentist

Many people fear the dentist, particularly those who do not go to a dentist frequently. Many people become so anxious that the health of their mouth and teeth is affected, they begin to get infected gums, chronic gum disease, tooth decay, as well as the formation of abscesses in the mouth.

There are many methods used nowadays that help overcome the anxiety associated with dentist visits. The British Dental Association conducted a study which determined that one-quarter of people harbored a fear of going to the dentist.

People are afraid of the dentist at different levels. Fearing what you don't know is the most common fear. Dental fear is a reaction to a danger that you know about. For instance you may have had a bad time at the dentists when you were younger, and you worry about it happening again, will it hurt, will I vomit? Past dental experiences that have caused you extreme pain, results in a condition called dental phobia, which is similar to dental fear but on a higher level.

So what may you be frightened of?

A fear of needles
A fear of dental instruments in your mouth
The worry you might vomit
Unsympathetic dentists
Bad childhood experiences
Fear of the drill
Fear of anaesthetic
Feeling vulnerable

There are three factors that tend to keep your fear of the dentist going.

Sensitisation (you find it difficult going to the dentist)
Avoidance (you stop going to the dentist)
Negative, distorted self talk (which terrifies you)

When a person learns to associate their extreme anxiety to the dentist or the dentist's office, a dental phobia results. All it takes at times, is to just pick up the phone to call or be on your way to a dentist appointment to experience anxiety. Becoming sensitized means that the mere thought of the dentist may be enough to trigger anxiety automatically.

If the sensitive feeling subsides your natural reaction may be to forget that it ever happened. Repeated avoidance is very rewarding because it saves you from having to feel any anxiety. The best way to hang on to your phobias or fears is to avoid them altogether. This holds you back from getting a grip on them.

The third factor that perpetuates fears of going to the dentist, is distorted self talk. The more worry and anticipatory anxiety you experience about something you fear, the more likely you are to be involved in unconstructive self talk connected with that fear. You may have an overactive imagination when it comes to fear of dentist visits. Both the negative self talk and negative image serve to perpetuate your fears, guaranteeing that you remain afraid. They also sap your confidence by making you feel that you may never be able to overcome your fear. Without talking to yourself negatively and negative thinking you will most likely stop avoiding the dentist and be comfortable going there. This is where hypnotherapy can help you. Hypnotherapy gets rid of all sorts of fears and phobias in a comfortable relaxing way.

If you find an understanding dentist and visit regular, with each visit you will experience less anxiety until it diminishes, and the greatest advantage of all will be that you will have beautiful white teeth and sweet smelling breath.

I can honestly say that I suffered dental phobia for years, until I found a wonderful dentist and a good hypnotherapist who cured me of my fears.

Ask your friends if the can recommend a dentist who is a good listener and good with dealing with anxious patients. It's imperative that you talk with the dentist about your fears and concerns and be able to feel comfortable with it. There are many things a person can do to release anxiety.

order:, :3:5:Relaxation and distraction techniques

You may wonder how hypnosis will assist you in overcoming your fear.

That is among the several problems dealt by hypnotherapy.

NLP is one of the many techniques that Hypnotherapists implement to deal with phobias. They often start the session by using breathing and relaxation techniques, followed by working with the negative self talk, and changing it to positive calm thinking,

During the session you will also imagine the process of making an appointment on the telephone, seeing yourself feeling calm and confident as you do so, you will imagine yourself feeling relaxed and calm in the moments leading up to the appointment. You'll envision visiting the dentist's office feeling confident and secure, seeing the dentist and still feeling in control, and finally exiting the building full of pride and newfound confidence.

You will feel wonderful, knowing you won’t have to avoid the issue ever again, and you will smile, knowing that when you smile you will have lovely white teeth and sweet smelling breath.