It often starts with something small. A sore tooth. A strange ache. A checkup overdue by a few months. You mean to make the call, but you keep putting it off. The pain lingers, but the anxiety surrounding the visit feels worse than the symptom itself. Avoiding medical and dental care isn’t always about inconvenience or procrastination. For many people, it’s fear. And that fear has a way of taking up space, becoming a silent companion that keeps them from seeking the care they need and deserve.
Dental Fear: A Silent and Widespread Struggle
In the US, we see that the largest health-related anxiety is dental fear. It is reported that between 50 and 80% of the adult population experiences some form of dental anxiety. Also, a great many of those people completely avoid the dentist because of it.
This issue of fear comes from many different places. Some may trace it back to a negative experience in their childhood. Also, we see that people associate dentists with pain, loss of control, or embarrassment. Also, the sounds, smells, or office environment of the dentist’s office, which for some is very triggering. As fear grows deeper, it also causes the cycle of avoidance to become that much harder to break.
The Fear of Dentists
The issue with dental visits goes beyond discomfort. Often, what we see is rooted in deeper emotional issues, past trauma, helplessness, and anxiety of judgment. Many who have this dental phobia will put off care for years, and in the meantime, their issue is getting worse. Unfortunately, many people put off seeing the dentist, which in turn causes more serious issues. We see that, left untreated, a small cavity can turn into a full-scale root canal. Ignoring what might have been a small sign of a cavity becomes an eventual root canal. And missed cleanings can lead to gum disease. The longer the wait, the higher the emotional and financial toll.
Medical Anxiety beyond the Dental Chair
While dental anxiety is present in many, it is not the only healthcare fear. Some people report great anxiety, which at times is paralysing, when they go to see the doctor, to have routine tests, or to go to the hospital. This is more than just nerves—at times, it is a full-out physical response. Rapid heart rate, nausea, shaking, panic attacks. This may also increase when presented with a real health care emergency, which in particular may happen at the onset of a dental emergency.
This type of medical avoidance is reported in:
- Nosocomephobia, the fear of hospitals
- Phobia of medical care, which includes the fear of doctors and procedures.
- Fear of health diagnosis, in which we see people live with worry of the news before they get it and therefore do not present for care.
Even in the world of alternative therapies, which chiropractic care falls into, it still puts some at ease. For people with body sensitivity issues or a history of trauma, the thought of physical manipulation to address subluxations is invasive and frightening. The cracking of joints, which by and large is harmless, does in fact trigger panic, discomfort, and avoidance.
Emotional and Physical Consequences of Avoidance
Neglecting medical or dental treatment because of fear is also a mistake; it may instead worsen the issue. Untreated health issues tend to go in that direction. Also, emotionally, there is great shame and guilt from delayed care. Often, we blame ourselves for what we see as responsible or rational action. But fear is a natural response. It is protective in intent, though the signals it sends may be out of date or off base. The issue is to learn how to respond to that fear with care and strategy instead of shame or suppression.
How to Get Over Fear of the Dentist and Other Medical Anxiety
If it’s you or a loved one who is dealing with a dental phobia, which is a type of medical anxiety, you are not alone. We have options to get you the care you need with confidence.
1. Name the Fear
First, we must recognise the fear. Speak it out loud. Write it down. Do not dismiss it or think of it as silly. By naming your fear, you can reduce its power and also get to know it better.
2. Find the Right Provider
Not all health care providers are the same in terms of the care they give to anxiety patients. We see which medical and dental professionals have experience with patients that have anxiety or trauma. Also, some dental offices provide initial consults without any procedures, just to meet the provider and ease in. Sedation options for dentistry, noise-cancelling headphones, therapy dogs, or a calm office setting also make a difference. As for those who are looking to overcome their fear of the dentist, the right care provider is often the key.
3 Use Gradual Exposure
Start small. Go to the office, but don’t go in. Wait in the lobby. Set up a brief visit for a check-in. As time goes on, your brain may begin to disassociate the experience from the fear. This is what we call the gradual exposure method, which is a proven treatment for phobias and anxiety disorders.
4. Practice Coping Strategies
Deep breaths, meditation, and visual imagery are ways to calm the nervous system. Also, some people see relief in distraction, which includes listening to music, podcasts, or guided meditations while they are in care. You may also prepare what you wish to say in advance. Having control of how you put your fears into words helps reduce anxiety at the time.
5. Seek Professional Support
If you are feeling that your fear is too much to bear, a therapist may be a great option to work with. In the case of phobias, cognitive behavioural therapy has very good results. Therapy provides a setting to look at the base of your fear and to develop tools to get through it. Support also comes from support groups, which may be in person or online, which in turn provide a community and a sense that you are not the only one dealing with this.
6. Compassion Makes All the Difference
If you have a friend who is dealing with medical or dental anxiety, what they need most from you is your understanding. Do not push them or dismiss their feelings. Put to them what they may require to feel at ease. Also, put forward to go to the appointment with them, to drive them there, or just to check in after. Healing starts with trust. When a person feels that what they are going through is seen and that support is present, they are more apt to take the steps that they have been putting off.
A Final Word on Dental Fears & Phobias
In issues of dental visits, hospitals, or breaking bad news, we see that medical avoidance is very common. These fears are real and should be met with empathy, not judgment. You do not have to be weak for your fears. We are all human, which means we put up with a great deal of what the world throws at us. But with the right support and the right people in your corner, fear can be lessened, managed, and, in some cases, defeated. Your health is important. Your peace of mind is important. Also, you deserve both.
