Since my earliest childhood, I have been terrified of dentists. And even as an adult, my dental phobia still hasn't improved. But I have no choice but to go there if I want to have good oral hygiene.
If there was one person to worry about going to the dentist, it was me. Fortunately, as I have very excellent dental hygiene, I could just settle for the annual check-up. And even for these simple check-ups, I regularly postponed my appointments, before forcing myself to go. Nevertheless, I am more and more confident since I changed dentists. This is partly due to my practitioner, his gentleness and delicacy have definitively reconciled me with dental care. The latter has helped me a lot to overcome my phobia of dentists. And soon, I have an appointment there for a little descaling.
To sum up, fear of the dentist is completely normal. Moreover, you are not an isolated case, because 1 out of 4 French people suffer from dental phobia. The fear of pain, the unpleasant noise of strawberries, the sight of instruments sometimes assimilated to real tools of torture... So many reasons that make us desert the waiting room of dental offices. Yet it is often more fear than harm. Indeed, aware of this unhealthy obsession, dentists have changed their approach a lot. And one of their first concerns is to reassure their patients.
Even if you have the impression that all your teeth are in excellent health, it is not an excuse not to see a dentist. The ideal would be one or two visits per year, as a preventive measure. To do this, the practitioner will then check the general condition of your teeth, but also of the gums in the event of the presence of cavities or tartar. You may even be X-rayed, but rest assured, nothing unpleasant.
However, it is strongly recommended for people with decayed teeth or suffering from gum infections such as periodontitis for example. Without treatment, poor oral health has long-term adverse health consequences. Indeed, apart from pain, bleeding or bad breath, the person can also suffer from food imbalance, cardiovascular disorders, but also serious chronic diseases to name only diabetes. And I spare you the unsightliness of blackened decayed teeth.
The word for the end? To overcome my anxiety, I did not hesitate to raise the subject with my dentist. And while I was expecting a few gestures of comfort and encouragement, to my surprise, we discussed it at length. To establish a climate of trust, he showed me all the instruments and equipment and explained their function to me. He even let me handle the strawberry. Since my fear flew away.
