Why you might be afraid of the dentist

Why You Might Be Afraid Of the Dentist

Colkmire DentistryUncategorized

  • Have you ever put off scheduling a dentist appointment due to fear of getting treatment?
  • Did you ever have a traumatic dental experience that has left you scarred for any future visits?
  • Have people encouraged you to see a dentist, and you just can’t bring yourself to go?
  • Do you have known dental issues, but you just can’t seem to face the idea of having a dentist look at your teeth?

If so, you’re not alone. Thousands of people nationwide have significant fears of going to the dentist, and these fears can be so strong that in some cases, a person will go for the rest of their life without ever getting the treatment they need.

However, these fears are not completely without reason. Have you ever stopped to think about just why it is that you have such a strong mental reaction when you think of going to the dentist? If you or someone you know is struggling with fear of the dentist despite having a need for some dental work to be done, see if you recognize one of these reasons. In this article from our dentist office in Sarasota, we will cover some of the common reasons we’ve seen.

Fear of the unknown

If you have never been to the dentist, you don’t actually know what you’re in for when you come in for a visit. It’s quite possible that you have heard horror stories from someone else about their visit to a rough dentist, and you’ve just decided that it’s not worth it to check it out for yourself. On the surface, this fear seems rational. After all, you don’t have to experiment for yourself to see if it’s a bad idea to get hit by a semi-truck on the highway. However, what you might not realize is that many people go through their whole entire lives without experiencing a painful dental appointment. It depends on your dentist, and it depends on the work you need done.

What definitely isn’t painful is having a teeth cleaning and a chat with your dentist to explore the options that are available. If you let Dr. Colkmire simply tell you what you need done, then you can decide from there whether or not you’ll do it.

Fear because of past trauma

This one is a doozy. Not every dentist is kind and gentle, and this was particularly true back in the days before modern dentistry education and the latest advances in dental technology. You could very well have had an experience that was so painful, traumatizing, and hurtful that you’ve decided, “That wasn’t worth it. I’m never doing that again.” If this is the case for you, please allow us to extend our most sincere apologies to you for whatever event might have happened. That shouldn’t have happened to you, and it doesn’t have to happen the next time you go to the dentist. Dr. Colkmire is renowned in the area for being one of the most amazingly gentle dentists around. And if “gentle dentist” still sounds like an oxymoron to you, there’s always the option of sedation dentistry, where you can complete your appointment in comfort.

Even if you’ve been afraid of the dentist, you owe it to yourself to give your teeth the care they need. Contact us today at Sarasota Dental Office for your appointment.

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