Dental phobia patients benefit from talking therapy

Studies shows that dental anxiety, also referred to as dental phobia, is a common issue seen in people. About 30 – 80% of people are estimated to have some level of dental fear or anxiety.

People with dental phobia tend to avoid going to a dentist, resulting in worsening oral health and more dental pain, and nearly 36% of people experience mild to moderate dental anxiety and fear of dental treatment.

Whereas a significant amount of people, nearly 12% of the population, experience extreme fear that can lead to avoidance of dental care and treatments.

What Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)?

Cognitive behavioral therapy is a psychotherapy that manages and treats mental and physical health conditions such as anxiety disorders, depression, alcohol and drug addiction, eating disorders, severe mental illness, and marital problems.

It has been considered to be as effective as or even more effective than any other behavioral therapy or psychiatric medication, and helps in improving functioning and quality of life. CBT helps you become aware of thinking patterns that may be creating issues in your life.

During cognitive behavioral therapy, you work with a mental health professional, psychologist, or other licensed therapist in a structured way by attending a limited number of sessions.

Looking at the relation between your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors helps you view a challenging situations more clearly and helps you respond them in a more positive and effective way.

CBT is a very helpful tool in treating many mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, also called (PTSD), or an eating disorder. Sometimes, CBT is the only treatment needed. Other times, it’s used along with other therapies, treatments, or medicines.

You don’t need to have a mental health condition to benefit from CBT. It can be an effective way for you to learn how to easily manage negative thoughts and stressful life situations.

CBT has been shown to be effective in treating a number of mental health conditions, such as –

• Anxiety disorder
• Panic disorder
• Depression
• Bipolar disorder
• Phobias
• Schizophrenia
• Psychosis
• Insomnia
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Alcohol or drug addiction
• Binge eating disorder
• Borderline personality disorder
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

How CBT Helps To Deal With Emotional Challenges

Cognitive behavioral therapy is a concept that your thoughts, actions, and behaviors are interconnected to each other, and a negative thought or feeling can trap you in a negative cycle.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) aims to help you deal with overwhelming feelings or problems in a positive way by breaking them into smaller sections.

Unlike other treatments, CBT deals with your current problems rather than focusing on your issues from the past.

Cognitive behavioral therapy is a useful way to learn how to deal with your emotions and negative thoughts, and it helps in –

• Managing symptoms of mental health conditions
• Keeping symptoms of mental health problems from coming back
• Learning techniques to cope up with stressful situations
• Learning ways to manage emotions
• Overcome any emotional trauma caused by abuse or violence
• Cope with a medical condition
• Deal with conflicts and improve communication skills
• Cope with loss or grief
• Manage long-term physical symptoms
• Managing mental health conditions when medicines are not a good option

Can CBT Benefit Dental Phobia

People with a dental phobia feel anxious when they think about going to the dentist or visiting a dentist’s office. Negative experiences from the past, family history, or a feeling of lack of control can lead to dental phobia.

CBT has been described as the most efficient and effective physiological therapy that helps people with phobias through exposure therapy or guided imaginary and relaxation techniques that can help an individual overcome their fears.

Many healthcare providers use Cognitive Behavioural therapy (CBT), which can help you change the way you respond to situations that trigger symptoms.

How CBT Helps People To Overcome Dental Phobia

You talk to a therapist about your inner feelings and thoughts about your dental anxiety, including what is on your mind. Your therapist will try to understand the reasons that cause your fears and why you are so nervous about it.

They may also work with you to know what triggers your thoughts and how they can redirect the thoughts when they occur. They try to replace the negative thoughts with positive ones in order to prevent your dental phobia.

Other Options To Manage Dental Phobia

It is important to let your dentist know if you are experiencing dental anxiety to help your dentist understand and tailor a management plan.

There are many ways to help people manage their dental anxiety or phobia: –

• Relative Analgesia (Happy Gas)

Nitrous oxide is given to patients to help them relax during dental treatment. A mask is fitted to your face to make them breathe a mixture of oxygen and nitrous oxide.

• Anxiety Relieving Medications

Certain anxiety medications such as temazepam may be given by your dentist to help people with dental anxiety relax. A short-acting, single dose is usually given one hour before the dental treatment.

• Conscious Sedation

It involves giving medication through drips in the veins of the arms or hands. Intravenous sedation is provided by a dental sedationist or an anesthetist.

It is also known as twilight sedation; you can feel relaxed and may get into a light sleep, but you will be able to respond to verbal questions. Possible side effects of conscious sedation include drowsiness and nausea after the procedure.

• General Anesthesia

Treatment under a general anesthetic is usually done in a hospital by a dentist or an anesthetist. Under general anesthesia, a patient fully falls asleep.

Your dentist may ask you to visit the dentist’s office before treatment and may also need a post-operative (after treatment) visit. The anesthetist will also need to assess you before the general anesthetic.

Some common side effects caused by anesthesia are nausea and a longer recovery time than any other form of sedation.

Tips To Ease Dental Phobia

Here are certain tips on how you can ease your dental anxiety and fear –

• Ask a friend or a family member whom you trust about their dentist and their experience with them, and make an appointment with their dental provider.

• Many dental offices have online websites where you can learn about their practices and become fully aware of the treatments.

• Make sure you communicate with the dentist and don’t feel shy, you are not the first patient who ever has dental phobia.

• Ask your dentist to inform you about the dental treatment they recommend based on your oral health, and ask your dentist to explain the procedures in detail.

• If you feel nervous before going to the dentist for a cleaning or dental procedure, tell them to make the experience more comfortable.

Key Takeaways

Visiting a dentist, when you have a dental phobia or anxiety is not an easy task, and simply taking an appointment is also scary and nerve-wracking.

Here at ‘Dacula Dental,’ we provide sedation dental treatment options to help you have a better and more positive experience. Seeing a dentist is a must, even for those who have dental phobias. Let us at ‘Dacula Dental’ help you with your dental care needs. Schedule an appointment today.

At Dacula Dental, we offer many solutions, including sedation dentistry, to keep you comfortable and less anxious during your dental procedures.

Contact us today to discuss your level of anxiety and let us help you obtain the treatment you need in a safe and judgement-free environment.

Reference Site-

Studies shows that dental anxiety   [NIH] 2013 Dec 20