Dental phobias are quite common and nothing to be ashamed of. Here are a few of the most common, along with some suggestions about how to overcome them.

For all of them, perhaps the best step to overcoming is to visit a dentist you can trust to provide you with expert, safe care. Bright Smiles Dentistry aims to provide that on the Sunshine Coast.

Pain

This is the number one dental phobia, and may stem from previous bad experiences at the dentist, or it just be the natural result of a low tolerance for pain in general.

One way to overcome this fear is to realize that dental practices and technology have progressed to the point where you shouldn’t ever experience pain at the dentist at all, since powerful local anesthetic is used for all potentially painful procedures.

Needles

Of course, local anesthetic is delivered through a needle, which some people have a phobia about in and of itself.

Try to remind yourself that a topical anesthetic is often used to “pre-numb” the injection site, and this, along with technological developments in the needles themselves and the careful care of a good dentist, means most people feel no pain or discomfort at all.

Drills

Whether it’s the sound, or the feeling of vibration, some people simply can’t stand having their teeth drilled.

If this is you, let your dentist know, and they’ll work with you. Perhaps you can wear earphones to drown out the sound, or the dentist can work in shorter bursts that you can handle better than prolonged periods of drilling.

What Could Be Wrong

Perhaps, as a result of one of the other fears on this list, you haven’t been to the dentist in a long time, and you’re worried about what your dentist will discover.

Try to remember that waiting even longer will only make things worse. Go in, get it over with; your dentist has seen it all before, and any problems are solvable. Then set up a regular appointment with your dentist, and stick to it.

Cost

Some people avoid the dentist because they’re afraid of dealing with a huge bill for major problems. But major problems often only arise due to a lack of regular preventative care.

Don’t just go to the dentist when you have major pain or something is obviously wrong. Set up a regularly scheduled appointment, and stick to it.

You’ll find the team at Bright Smiles Dentistry on the Sunshine Coast provide a very transparent service in terms of pricing, and the staff are very caring. So if you suffer any dental phobias just let us know and we’ll be sure to give you the extra care you deserve.