Would you like to manage your dental fear or phobia?

People are often terrified of visiting the dentist. The recent study has revealed that nearly half of the adult population has a moderate or extreme dental anxiety, with higher levels of dental anxiety among younger adults. With high incidence of ‘extreme anxiety’ relating to injections and drilling, this presents a very real issue for the provision of routine dentistry on a day-to-day basis for most dental practices. Dental phobias tend to develop from childhood, when unpleasant or even traumatic experience at the dentist often leave people feeling anxious. The impact of dental phobia on a person’s daily life is wide ranging and dynamic.

The exact fear and phobia is unique to each patient, depending on what caused them and this often involves more than one factor. It is important to identify what general or specific factors are involved in each person’s phobia. For example emotional factors may include anxiety, guilt, shame, embarrassment, and loss of self-esteem. People may also have a fear of letting someone even see their teeth, or fear of what the dentist will say or think about the condition of their teeth.

‘Quite often I meet patients who say that their teeth will be the worst I have ever seen. I can reassure you that as far as I am concerned there really is no such thing, because every case is different… It is always about looking at the foundations and how do we move forwards’.

If you are suffering from dental anxiety and looking for an experienced dentist who could help you to tackle your dental fears contact Dr Mike Gow on 0141 564 1900.