Dental Phobia: Women In 40s Most Likely To Be Afraid Of The Dentist, Study Finds

Who's most afraid of the dentist?

According to new research, it's not the who you'd most expect. It's women in their 40s.

Ongoing research from the University of Sydney suggests that this demographic is more likely than other age groups to have felt trauma, abuse or oro-facial trauma. These people are also more likely to be depressed, anxious or stressed, researchers found.

"Dental anxiety is very real and complex and it should never be downplayed," study researcher Dr. Avanti Karve, of the University of Sydney Faculty of Dentistry, said in a statement.

Karve explained that people who have a great fear of the dentist wait 17 days, on average, to make an appointment to see the dentist when they are feeling severe pain. Comparatively, the rest of the population who is not as dentalphobic waits just three days.

According to a recent study out of the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, about 5 percent of people have a severe dental fear. Those researchers found five strategies that people use to get over their fear of the dentist; their findings are published in the journal Acta Odontologica Scandinavica.

Their study showed that common coping practices include distracting yourself (counting to yourself or playing mental games so that you think about something else), distancing (telling yourself the pain feels like something else), prayer (praying that the dental treatment will end soon), self-efficacy (telling yourself to be strong), and optimism (telling yourself that everything will be OK after the dental treatment).

New York City-based dentist Dr. Louis Siegelman, D.D.S., who works in private practice and also is a clinical assistant professor in pediatric dentistry at New York University, explained to HuffPost some common fears people have of going to the dentist, and how to cope with them:

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Comments

[Sara from Store Hours]

07:08 AM on 06/20/2012

Very nice content. Very useful & informative post. Dental phobia is a common issue, Adolescence brings with it a potentially high caries rate, may begin experimenting with tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs. I found some more related post on http://www.freedentistfinder.com/blog/2011/05/30/10-things-pediatric-dentists-keep-in-mind-when-treating-adolescents/ hope this will useful. Thanks.

[Marielaina Perrone]

10:47 PM on 05/30/2012

There are plenty of people with a dental phobia. It is a shame to see because it is such a debilitating affect to have. I recently wrote an article in an attempt to help people. If interested....
http://mperronedds.hubpages.com/hub/Top-10-Ways-to-Get-Over-Your-Dental-Fear

[rikadarling]

07:32 PM on 03/21/2012

I was injured for almost 6 years from a dentist who damaged my lingual nerve from an injection of anesthetic. He basically poo pooed it from the get go and said not to worry... it will go away. I was suicidal for many years due to the constant burning pain in my tongue. Nothing helped... no drugs, nothing. Finally I began smoking pot and that gradually diminished the pain and after two years of that I can say the pain is 95% gone. I had read that cannabis is neurogenic so I thought I'd try it. It seemed to have worked thank goodness. I will never, ever trust a dentist again.

[ben44]

10:35 AM on 03/21/2012

The silver fillings have mercury in them, and lots of it. The dental sealants contain BPA. The new, panoramic x-rays have much higher radiation levels than regular dental x-rays, which have plenty, especially since they want to x-ray you so often (more money). I am left wondering whether the benefit of having your mouth "cleaned" is really worth the hazards.

[Mehitabelle]

01:15 PM on 03/21/2012

Ben, fewer and fewer dentists are using amalgam fillings. None of the dentists I've worked for have placed them - even though they are cheap and effective, I don't think anybody wants to deal with the expense of properly disposing of the (hazardous) waste materials. According to the American Dental Association, "BPA can become part of dental composites or sealants in three ways: as a direct ingredient, as a by-product of other ingredients in dental composites or sealants that may have degraded, and as a trace material left-over from the manufacture of other ingredients used in dental composites or sealants. " (ADA, 2010) BPA as a direct ingredient is rarely used, and BPA as a by-product of degradation is also fairly rare. According to an article published by the ADA on BPA in dental materials, "To put the exposure from dental materials into perspective, consider the exposure that occurs from the placement of six dental sealants containing bis-GMA in a child (7 to 14 years of age). The estimated one time exposure (upon sealant placement) for a male child of median body weight (51 to 112 pounds)1 is approximately 5.5 micrograms,2 which is two to five times lower than the estimated daily exposure from food and environmental sources". Because untreated dental caries can lead to a whole host of health problems ranging from pain to heart disease and stroke, composite restorations and pit and fissure sealants would be the lesser of two evils.

[Mehitabelle]

01:19 PM on 03/21/2012

You actually receive more exposure to radiation from flying in an airplane on a regular basis than you do through dental x-rays. A regular dental x-ray exposes you to 2-3 millirems (mrem) of radiation. The amount of radiation you are exposed to on a daily basis by just living (background radiation) is about 360 mrem per year. Background radiation comes from the sun, from radioactive material in the earth, and from small amounts of radioactive material in some foods. Also, bear in mind that digital dental x-rays use even less radiation than traditional (film) x-rays. Usually, dentists require a full-mouth series of x-rays once every five years, and bitewings once every 1-2 years. Periapical x-rays may be taken if the dentists suspects there is an abcess near the apex of the tooth. Panoramic x-rays are taken only if the dentist needs to see how the jaws and teeth work together - this would be in cases of surgery, periodontic or implant work, and orthodontics. That being said, the benefits of regular dental cleanings and exams outweigh the risks of avoidance.

ADA on Bisphenol A and Dental Materials: http://www.ada.org/1766.aspx
Information on dental x-rays: http://www.physics.isu.edu/radinf/dental.htm
http://www.ada.org/2760.aspx#othersources

[sabelmouse]

09:29 AM on 03/21/2012

i know why i'm afraid of the dentist. when i was a child one said to me '' if t hurts wave and i will stop'' . he didn't !

[yurday6]

07:09 AM on 03/21/2012

I think fear of losing a tooth and the bill.

[frozenlake]

04:14 AM on 03/21/2012

Going to a dentist is extremely inconvenient, for me it's not so much a matter of fear but of boredom in the waiting room etc, though I actually fear the boredom in the waiting room... I would never directly go to a doctor because of pain but swallow painkillers for at least a week and hope it goes away by itself.

[Mehitabelle]

12:22 AM on 03/21/2012

One of the reasons why I decided to become a dental assistant is because I am absolutely terrified of having dental treatment done! Because of my fear, I feel a connection of sorts with patients who suffer dental anxiety. The above suggestions are great, but one that was not addressed (and one I feel is most important) is to communicate with your dentist and his/her supporting team. When you communicate with us, you give yourself a little more control. When you call to make your appointment, explain to the front desk that you are an anxious patient. If talking to the dentist makes you nervous, talk to the dental assistant. Really, we want to make you as comfortable as possible, and we want you to have a positive experience. I try to suggest to patients things that have worked for me - bringing headphones and relaxing music, concentrating on deep breathing, sometimes even focusing on a positive result (you will feel so much better when we are finished!) can help. But first, let us know that you need us to make you feel at ease!

[sabelmouse]

09:31 AM on 03/21/2012

that's nice what you're doing. . i have know some good and nice dentists, sadly some are horrible , sadistic jerks.

[Mehitabelle]

12:47 PM on 03/21/2012

And those are the ones I refuse to work for, Sablemouse. Part of my job, as I see it, is to advocate for the patient - to tell the doctor when our patient appears to be uncomfortable. Bear in mind that a good dentist is completely focused on an area of your mouth that is about 1 cm squared - s/he might be so focused on prepping that tooth that they may not see the cues that a patient is uncomfortable (twitching/squinting eyes, squirming, moving hands and feet). Because I don't have to focus my concentration so much, I try to check with the patient frequently to see that they are relaxed and comfortable. I have the great fortune of working with a dentist who takes great care to make sure that our patients get the best treatment, and she goes out of her way to make sure that each visit is a good one. Shopping around for a dentist who specializes in anxious patients is a good idea. I like to peruse through sites like Healthwatch, where patients rate their experience. And if I have a great experience with a dentist or dental specialist (like the endodontist who did my last root canal), I will be sure to rate him or her on one of those sites.

[dbrockskk]

09:34 PM on 03/20/2012

I'm very afraid of the cost. Not covered by Medicare.

[kaysquare]

09:23 PM on 03/20/2012

If one goes to a very well respected & very busy dentist these days, there's no reason to be afraid. If a dentist has the latest state-of-the-art equipment available today, dental work becomes a breeze. I was petrified thinking about a root canal a few years ago & expected the worst. To my surprise, it was much easier than a simple filling & it was over in a few minutes, with no discomfort whatsoever. There's just no reason to be afraid of dentists anymore!

[birdiesbout]

10:41 PM on 03/20/2012

My last root canal took almost 2 hours-and I had told the dentist ahead of time that I had TM syndrome and would have a massive headache if I had to keep my mouth open more than 45 minutes. He'd assured me it would not take "very long". I never went back to him. And as far as "no discomfort"-never happened to me that way at all! I'm glad you found someone who can do the work with no pain but I've never had that happen.

[JeannieKi]

07:13 AM on 03/21/2012

I guess I've been extremely lucky. My first dentist started with my parents before we were born. So by the time he started working on us, we were so comfortable with him, he was like an uncle. But, as things go, he had been working on our third generation when he decided to retire. I was lost! After years of searching (because of coarse no one measured up to him) I found the most wonderful dentist, with such a wonderful personality, I was immediately at ease with him! Miracles do happen!

[rikadarling]

07:37 PM on 03/21/2012

You're kidding, right? Read my post above. Patient beware!

[kaysquare]

08:07 PM on 03/21/2012

I had a wonderful dentist who I had utmost trust in & he never let me down. Just about all my friends used him too, & felt the same way. When we had to leave the area, finding a comparable dentist was my biggest fear.