What is dentophobia? (Plus tips to ease symptoms)

Millions of people in the United States have dentophobia. Many of them put off scheduling appointments or avoid visits altogether. If you’re like them, just thinking of a dental procedure makes you lightheaded and nervous. The good news is that you don’t have to feel this way. While overcoming a fear of the dentist may seem daunting, it’s possible.

What is dentophobia?

Dentophobia is an overwhelming, irrational fear of dentistry, which can include dental clinics, dentists or dental treatments. You may have this phobia if you dread necessary procedures like root canals or if a routine checkup provokes panic. While few people enjoy getting a tooth pulled or a crown put in, feeling uncontrollable anxiety is atypical.

Is dentophobia the same as dental anxiety? If you have anxiety, you feel an above-average level of fear or worry about dentistry. However, you still schedule appointments and undergo necessary treatments. On the other hand, if you have dentophobia, you may not even be able to step foot in the clinic without having a panic attack.

Dental visits are usually short. However, although the average routine examination lasts 10 minutes — and even complex procedures take about 1.5 hours at most — you may still be afraid of going. 

However concerning these feelings may be, they’re not uncommon. If the thought of getting your teeth worked on makes your palms clammy and your heart race, you’re not alone. Around 36% of people in the United States experience dental anxiety, with 12% categorizing their fear as extreme. Some people can’t even bring themselves to schedule an appointment.

What are the symptoms of dentophobia?

Dentophobia causes uncontrollable anxiety. You may have strong reactions when nearing or thinking of dentists’ offices. If you can help it, you go to great lengths to avoid entering a clinic or undergoing treatment. You might experience panic attacks or breakdowns after exposure to the source of your aversion.

This phobia typically manifests physiologically. You may feel lightheaded, short of breath or nauseous. Experiencing excessive sweating, increased blood pressure, a loss of appetite, heart palpitations, shaking hands or a racing heart are also common.

Typical behavioral responses include crying, yelling and swearing. If you’re exposed to the source of your fear, you may find yourself unusually angry, sad or fearful. These intense, sudden mood swings are the result of a chemical reaction. A trigger prompts your brain to release hormones, prompting a strong emotional response.

While your experience is unique and personal, others in your position typically experience symptoms similar to anxiety disorders, including trouble sleeping the night before the appointment or an impending sense of doom. This often manifests as avoiding visits altogether. Overcoming your fear of the dentist is essential for maintaining your dental health.

How to know if you have dentophobia

Not all physiological and behavioral responses are indicative of a phobia. Is it normal to cry at the dentist? If you’re about to undergo a major procedure or are sensitive to pain, feeling some level of anxiety is natural. However, if those feelings are powerful and persist outside of the appointment’s immediate time frame, you may have dentophobia.

You may develop dentophobia if:

• You had a traumatic experience. Trauma can involuntarily trigger emotional, physiological and psychological reactions.

• A family member has it. You are three times more likely to develop a phobia if one of your immediate relatives has one.

• You have other conditions. A phobia like claustrophobia or a disorder like generalized anxiety may increase your chances of developing an aversion to the dentist.

• You are sensitive to pain. Having extremely sensitive teeth or a low pain tolerance can make even the most routine checkups feel impossible.

Dental appointments are invasive and uncomfortable. It’s understandable if you dislike keeping your mouth open while someone in scrubs and a headlamp pokes around. However, an aversion morphing into fear is concerning. While some anxiety is natural, your feelings shouldn’t keep you from seeking care. Fortunately, overcoming a fear of the dentist is possible.

Accommodations to ask your dentist for

Speaking with a dentist may seem daunting when you have dentophobia, but it’s the best course of action to help you work past trauma and manage your phobia. Once you find someone you trust, consider asking for accommodations like a therapy animal or calming music. Many professionals will be more than happy to work with you.

Ask your dentist to explain the procedure in easy-to-understand language. Knowing what they will do and why they have to do it can help ease some of your worries. Knowing exactly what to expect may even prevent you from catastrophizing.

If you feel confident enough to begin but are worried you’ll get overwhelmed partway through, agree on a hand signal with your dentist to use when you need a break. This way, they’ll know to pause their work and give you a moment to calm down. Remember, overcoming your fear of the dentist won’t be like flicking a switch —- it will take time.

It’s okay if you feel like you can’t handle dental treatment emotionally or psychologically — you still have options. Moderate sedation slightly depresses your central nervous system, leaving you awake but calm. For example, nitrous oxide — laughing gas — is a colorless, odorless gas that gives you a feeling of euphoria. It can help you manage the worst of your symptoms.

Ways to ease your phobia’s symptoms

Ease yourself into tackling your phobia’s symptoms by starting small. You should brush twice daily — once in the morning and once at night. If you want to brush more often, remember to wait at least 30 minutes after eating to give your enamel time to remineralize. This approach reduces your need to visit the dentist, which can help ease your fear.

While the general advice professionals give to visit the dentist twice yearly is a good rule of thumb, it’s not set in stone. If you care for your teeth by brushing, flossing and avoiding damaging habits, you may not need to go as often. Positively reinforcing yourself with rewards or affirmations along the way can help you view dental care in a better light.

Do you have someone in your life who knows your triggers and can help you when you’re overcoming your fear of the dentist? Bring them to the dental clinic. Having a support person in the room gives you a sense of control over the situation and can make you feel more at ease.

If you want to address your symptoms head-on, exposure therapy is an excellent long-term solution. By gradually exposing yourself to your phobia while in a safe environment, you recondition yourself. Your synapses — the connections in your brain — can change over time in response to new activity, thanks to an ability called synaptic plasticity.

During exposure therapy, you’ll begin by talking about the dentist. Once you feel ready, you may look at pictures of dentists. Incremental progression may involve listening to dental instruments, visiting a clinic, asking about a procedure or sitting in the waiting room. Over time, you’ll feel ready to tackle bigger things until you overcome your fear.

Overcoming a fear of the dentist is possible

While overcoming your fear of the dentist can feel daunting, it’s possible. Remember to be forgiving — the road to recovery isn’t always paved. Experience the occasional setback is normal. As long as you keep trying, you will eventually ease your symptoms and be able to walk into a dentist’s clinic without fear.