DENTAL FEAR

During dental treatment, it is now possible to reduce fear and anxiety and create an environment that will make the patient forget they are undergoing treatment by allowing them to watch fun videos with special video glasses.

According to our patients’ requests, we make the treatment enjoyable by providing the opportunity to watch animations, movies, TV shows, documentaries, or football matches.

Thanks to video glasses, patients do not get bored during treatment, and since they cannot hear the sounds of the tools used, they psychologically go through the treatment more comfortably.

This method, which makes the treatment process easier and more enjoyable for all patients, especially children, eliminates dental anxiety.

Dental Fear and Dental Phobia

Dental fear is psychologically defined as the fear or dislike of going to the dentist, along with the irrational fears created in a person’s inner world.

Dental phobia, on the other hand, is generally different from the usual fear of the dentist and is a more serious problem. The most common behavior of a person with a phobia is avoidance of the situation.

Do you experience these?

• Do you resist going to the dentist even though you have severe tooth pain?
• Does the decoration of the clinic increase your fear when you visit the dentist?
• Are you disturbed by the sounds of the tools used by the dentist?
• Does not knowing the treatment to be performed in your mouth reinforce your fear?
• Does the thought that the tools may not be sterile cause discomfort for you?
• Are you afraid of needles?
• Do you feel heart palpitations, nausea, and sweating when you are forced to go to the dentist due to unbearable pain, even though you are afraid of the dentist?
• Do you ever think you won’t be able to recover from the effects of anesthesia?
• Do you ever think you won’t be able to stand the smells during the treatment?

Like all fears, dental anxiety is based on assumptions that are actually irrational. Dental anxiety, like other fears, is based on incorrect learning and can be treated with psychotherapy approaches, like all fears.

Methods to Reduce Dental Anxiety

For those disturbed by the sounds of the tools, the treatment includes a DVD screen placed in front of the dentist’s chair, which distracts the individual both visually and audibly. In this way, the sound of the tools is suppressed by music, eliminating the cause of the fear.

For very anxious individuals, cushions that perform back and leg massages and offer a heating option, if desired, are used to relax the patient before treatment.

For individuals with dental anxiety, the first stimulus that increases fear is the environment of the dental office. The colors and objects used in the décor are aimed at making the individual feel comfortable.

The dentist should explain the procedures to be performed step by step during the treatment, and the patient should be assured that if they feel pain, the procedure can be stopped. For individuals with more serious fears, medication and psychotherapy methods are used. In such cases, collaboration between the dentist and psychiatrist is the best solution.

How to Overcome Anxiety?

Some people experience anxiety when visiting the dentist for the first time or after a long period of avoiding visits. Unnecessary fears, prejudiced thoughts, and the sounds made by the tools used increase this anxiety.

Tips to help you relax:

• Avoid beverages like coffee or soda that can make you feel tense and excited a few hours before your appointment.
• Eat protein-rich foods like cheese and eggs, as they help the body release calming substances.
• Don’t rush to dress or drive fast on your way to your appointment.
• Try to get as much rest as possible the night before so you can be calm during your appointment.
• If you inform our clinic about your anxiety, a special treatment plan will be prepared.
• If you bring your CD player or iPod, you can listen to your preferred songs during the procedure.