People who seldom (or haven’t) visited the dentist are often faced with the fear of painful dental procedures. A small percentage (5-10%) of the US population have exhibited and attested phobia of going to the dentist. Oftentimes, these people only come to their neighborhood dentist when the problem has become severe.

This fear has commonly been attributed to the false advertising of the media that depicts both children and adults writhing in pain as the fictional dentist performs a simple dental procedure on them. Others have also been victims of exaggerated claims by their friends, family members and colleagues, stating that going to the dentist is the same as getting amputated. And lastly, some people are inherently afraid of going to the dentist because of anxiety and fear, due to the fact that he/she cannot do anything when the dentist is performing the procedure.

Going to the dentist can either be a fun or exhilarating experience—depending on the patient’s dental condition and his/her tolerance to pain. The wonders of 21st century technology has made dental instruments and procedures much more tolerable, and hence, less painful than before. Pharmacological treatments on the onset of the dental procedure help in reducing (and in some cases, eliminating) the pain felt by the patient. Over-the-counter and prescription painkillers are now widely used to relieve pain caused by major procedures done on the teeth and the gums.

There is really no need to be afraid of going to the dentist, especially if he/she is an experienced professional. After all, those years of experience and learning had somewhere to go to, right? But from the patient’s perspective, an assurance that no pain will be felt is only a sign that things will get bloodier. At certain times, that may be the case. But looking at the figures, about 80% of those who go to the dentist have said that they felt “immediate relief” after the procedure. Wondering why the 20% of the statistics disagree with the majority? Simple – it’s because they ignored their obviously chaotic dental condition for so long, that it finally made its way to the nerve of the tooth, calling for root canal procedures to be done. And a root canal therapy isn’t that bad either nowadays, especially that stronger forms have anesthetics have now been introduced; these anesthetics have a longer duration and hence, less pain felt.

If you’ve taken care of your teeth, chances are, the dental procedure won’t even last as long as you think. Tooth extractions and composite fillings aren’t really painful if you’ve been well taking care of your teeth. And in many cases, even people who haven’t been taking care of their teeth don’t feel pain on and after the dental procedure.

One common reason why people are scared of undergoing a dental procedure is the sound of the dental tools which are both metallic and have that “clackety” sound that makes a person more paranoid. The “drill-ouch!” is also one major cause of nervous breakdowns of patients in the waiting rooms. Hearing other people say “ouch!”of course, causes them to turn pale in fear.

The most proven way to get over your dental fears is to prep yourself up and get someone to go with you to the dental clinic. It’s not embarrassing – even grownups take their moms with them if they feel scared. Also, don’t think about the dental apparati that the dentist is going to use on you. It will only make matters worse. In fact, only three or two out of hundreds of those metallic instruments and accessories laid out on the dental chair will be used. Also remember to bring something that you can clutch when you feel some tingling sensations, especially when the dentist starts drilling your teeth. The tingles only last for a split-second, so you really don’t have to worry about it.

Also, don’t annoy the dentist with uncalled-for screeching sounds. A successful procedure is a quiet procedure.

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