Do you know the feeling? You keep putting off the next dental appointment so that it never happens. Or have you cancelled a firm appointment at short notice even though you were not ill — perhaps more than once, because that unease before a visit keeps creeping up on you and you cannot overcome it? You are far from alone. Fears of this kind around dentists are anything but rare. Specifically, such a dental phobia affects around one person in five, one study found. Between 55 and 80 per cent of those surveyed report at least mild anxiety. There is no reason to be ashamed of even a pronounced fear. Almost nobody enjoys going to the dentist or has positive memories of an examination or treatment.
The real problem lies elsewhere. It is that many patients do not dare reveal their fears to the dentist or the staff. It simply seems too embarrassing, and perhaps they expect a professional not to understand. In truth, however, dentists and practice staff are very familiar with this phenomenon. That applies to our practice in Cologne too, where we deal successfully with patients’ fears. How that works we explain in this article about anxious patients.
What does dental anxiety mean?
The various terms — dental phobia, dentist phobia, dental anxiety — simply mean the same thing: someone who suffers from it fears a specific appointment, or usually already the thought of one. The fear generally does not relate to the dentist as a person. It is rather about the instruments used, the injections, the pain expected, the shame about poor teeth, or the feeling of lying helpless in the chair at the mercy of those acting. A basic nervousness before such treatment is normal; after all, nobody enjoys pain, or even the fear of it.
When is it a genuine phobia?
The line is crossed when a potential patient can no longer overcome their fear. Appointments are not kept or are cancelled, and problems with the teeth are ignored even when they are already painful or bring other health limitations. In this way small problems keep growing, and with them, as a rule, the fear of treatment.
Reasons for dental anxiety
The causes can be of quite different kinds. Unpleasant memories of earlier treatment are often the trigger, frequently from childhood. Other people have a generalised anxiety disorder that extends to the dental visit. Others again have the mistaken expectation that such treatment will always be painful, which is usually not the case at all. Some cannot adequately distinguish between the feelings of pressure that inevitably arise during treatment and genuine pain, and so drive their fear into the unrealistic. In any case it is very common for the expectation of pain to cause great inner tension. It also happens not infrequently that parents unconsciously pass on their own fear of a dental visit to their children. Such an appointment is then already loaded with negative emotion before children have been able to make their own — usually far less dramatic — experiences. Another widespread reason is a lack of knowledge about the treatment steps to expect.
The philosophy of the practice
Here in our practice in Cologne we have extensive experience with anxious patients. Through many years of working with them we are able to adjust to each individual. Our patients’ trust matters a great deal to us: a patient-centred, calm and pleasant atmosphere in which you can feel comfortable is therefore our highest priority during your time with us.
Getting to know us before an examination
Part of our understanding approach is the possibility of a preliminary conversation without an examination. In a relaxed atmosphere, trust in the practice and the staff can be built. There is also the opportunity to discuss individual wishes and fears. If you wish, we will get to the bottom of the causes of your anxiety together and plan any necessary treatment in every detail, to reduce fear that comes from not knowing what to expect. In our experience such trusting preparation noticeably and successfully reduces existing fears.
How do we prevent anxiety developing in children?
We are very aware of the particular responsibility that a young person’s first treatments carry for whether a phobia develops later. When treating very young patients we therefore pay particular attention to the necessary empathy and explanation.
How can parents help avoid dental anxiety in a child?
Several sensible pieces of advice are worth putting into practice. First and foremost: do not speak negatively about a forthcoming appointment and do not signal any fear yourself. Drills and injections need not be mentioned in advance at all, since they are rarely used with small children anyway. Second, it makes sense to get a child used to regular dental visits at a very young age. Then the child has already built trust in a dentist and in the situation before fears can form. For distraction and reassurance, soft toys or audio stories are very welcome too.
So if you are looking for a practice in Cologne that knows how to treat anxious patients, do arrange a first conversation to get to know us.
