Friday, April 26, 2013

How Dentists in Jacksonville FL Help Patients Overcome Dental Fear

For some patients, dental visits may mean experiencing pain and discomfort that eventually develops into dental phobia. Dental fear is a commonly recognized psychiatric disorder listed in the “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition.” Dental anxiety is the result of not knowing what to expect during the dental visit. Dental fear is a reaction to a known fear that happens because of a bad past experience during a dental visit.

Many people have a legitimate traumatic reason that triggers the dental fear or phobia. Perhaps these patients experienced extreme pain after a visit to a dentist as a child. Later as adults, these same patients were embarrassed because the dentist didn’t understand why the patient developed a fear of routine dental office visits. Other reasons for dental fears and phobias include the whining noise of a dental drill, getting teeth scraped during a cleaning, experiencing a tooth extraction, embarrassment of unhealthy teeth, lack of control and allergies. Pain, injury and side effects from an anesthetic injection may be another reason for these fears. Some patients may be afraid that they will cry in front of a dentist because of their fear and others may experience panic attacks. Dental office visit sounds and smells are two other experiences contributing to dental fears or phobias.

Patients seeking to overcome the fear of going to the dentist should find an understanding dentist willing to reassure you that no harm will come while the dentist is performing routine oral hygiene services. The first step in overcoming dental fears would be to ask friends and family members if they can recommend a caring and sympathetic dentist. You may also search for dentists in Jacksonville FL in advertisements placed in newspapers, online or in a telephone directory. A dentist in Jacksonville FL with a practice specially geared to offering dental services and solutions that will include sedation, hypnosis and much reassurance is an indication that this dentist will be interested in helping you overcome dental fears. David & Associates, a highly-respected dental practice in Jacksonville, has many years of experience helping fearful patients take care of their oral health and find comfort during visits.

Anyone who suffers from dental fear should schedule a consultation with the dental practice. The dentist would not perform dental work during this initial visit. You would be able to interview the dentist to determine if he or she would address any dental fears. If the dentist is not willing to take the time to address patient concerns from the beginning, then it is time to find another dentist.

When you have found a dentist in Jacksonville FL that the you are comfortable with, like David & Associates, then it is time to make an appointment for a routine cleaning. For this first visit, you might want to go with a trusted friend or relative for reassurance and encouragement. It is also helpful to listen to music while wearing headphones or occupy time with another distraction to avoid thinking about what the dentist is doing. After a couple of successful, low stress experiences with dentists in Jacksonville FL, you just may be able to say goodbye to your fear of the dentist.

For more information about dental services in Jacksonville, and David & Associates’ history making smiles better, please visit www.drjoeldavid.com.​