Have you been postponing your visit to the dentist for some time? You are not the only one. Fear of the dentist is one of the most common reasons why many people let years go by without a check-up, even if they know they have a cavity, an annoying tooth or the gums that bleed. At Clínica10, your dental clinic in Castalla, we see it every week, and that’s why we want to explain where that fear comes from, what really happens on a visit and what we do to make your treatment calm.
Why does fear of the dentist appear?
Hardly anyone is afraid of “the dentist” itself. What is scary is what one imagines will happen. The most frequent reasons are these:
- A bad experience in the past, often in childhood, when techniques and anesthetics were very different from the current ones.
- Fear of pain, although today the vast majority of treatments are carried out without pain.
- Feeling of lack of control: lying down, with his mouth open and unable to speak.
- Shame by the state of the mouth after years without going. It is one of the causes that delays the first visit.
- The noise and smell of the consultation, which activate unpleasant memories.
Recognizing what your specific reason is is already an important step: it is not the same to treat the fear of pain as shame, and in the consultation we can adapt to each case. What really happens on a first visit Many people believe that if they return to the dentist after a long time they will leave the consultation with their mouths open in the channel. It’s not like that. In a first visit, only one review is made: we look at the teeth and gums, we do an x-ray if necessary and we calmly explain the real state of your mouth. No treatment is performed without you understanding and deciding. You set the pace. In fact, in many cases the first visit ends with a simple cleaning, and the patient comes out relieved because the problem was much smaller than he had been imagining for months. Does it hurt to go to the dentist today? This is the question that they ask us the most. The honest answer is that current dentistry is designed so that it doesn’t hurt. Local anesthetics are more effective and faster, the needle is thinner and is applied to a previously gelled area, and the instruments are much quieter and more precise than twenty years ago. Inclusive treatments that sound like a “much” endodontics or the placement of implants Dental, are done comfortably and with mild and controlled discomfort. How we make the treatment more bearable in clinic 10 Losing fear does not depend only on the patient. The clinic has a lot to do, and these are some of the measures we apply:
- We listen to you before we start. If you tell us that you are afraid, we take it into account from the first minute: we explain each step before doing so and we agree on a signal with your hand to stop when you need it.
- Conscious sedation. For patients with a lot of anxiety or long treatments, we offer conscious sedation: you are relaxed and calm, but awake and collaborating. It is one of the most effective tools to regain confidence.
- No waiting. Being in the waiting room thinking about what’s coming is what triggers the nerves the most. That is why in Clínica10 the wait is minimal.
- Short quotes at the beginning. If necessary, we start with short and simple visits so that you gain confidence, and we leave the treatments for when you feel ready.
- Small tricks that work: Come in, listen to music with headphones or make an appointment first thing in the morning so you don’t spend the day thinking about it.
What happens if you keep postponing it What starts with being a small tooth decay or bleeding gums Ends time in a Toothache who no longer lets sleep, in an infection, or at tooth loss. And then the treatment is longer, more expensive and, precisely, more similar to what was feared. Going on time is almost always the easiest way for the visit to be short and painless. Frequently asked questions about fear of the dentist
Fear of the dentist
Is it normal to be afraid of the dentist as an adult?
Yes. It is one of the most frequent fears in adults and usually comes from a bad past experience, from fear of pain or loss of control. It is not a cause for shame and it can be treated.
Does it hurt to go to the dentist today?
Most of the treatments are performed with local anesthesia and without pain. Current techniques and anesthetics allow even extractions or implants to be mild and controlled discomfort.
What is conscious sedation at the dentist?
It is a technique that reduces anxiety and keeps you relaxed and calm during treatment, but awake and collaborating. It is used in patients with a lot of fear or in long treatments, always under professional control.
What if I haven’t been to the dentist for years?
The important thing is to go back. On the first visit, only the mouth is reviewed and the real state is explained; No treatment is done without deciding. The sooner a problem is detected, the simpler and cheaper it is to fix it.
Take the first step, without commitment
If you are afraid of the dentist, tell us. At Clínica10, dentists in Castalla since 2007, your first visit is just to get to know you, check your mouth and explain your options calmly. Without haste and without trying anything that you have not decided.
Book your appointment or call us at 965 56 14 03: The first step is the most difficult, and the rest we do together.
