Causes of Dentophobia. There are many terms used to classify the idea of a dental phobia. It can be known as dental fear, dental anxiety, dentist phobia, odontophobia, or dentophobia. They all mean the same thing: an intense fear of visiting the dentist for dental care.

1. DENTAL PHOBIA
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INTRODUCTION
• Dental phobia is a common condition
worldwide.
• Individuals with high dental anxiety exhibit
indicators of poor oral health behaviour in
form of;
- suboptimal oral self-care
- irregular dental attendance
- dental procedure postponement and
- total dental treatment avoidance.

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INTRODUCTION CONT
• It affects oral health-related quality of
life.
•The fear of visiting the dentist
outweighs the pain of a toothache for
some patients.
• Procrastination leads to more
advanced oral health problems and
lengthier, more complex procedures.

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INTRODUCTION CONT
• Most adults who suffer from dental
anxiety can trace their fears back to
unpleasant childhood experience.
• Improvements in techniques,
medications and equipment mean that
even the most skittish patients can be
assured of comfort.

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AIM
•The aim of this presentation is to
discuss dental phobia with staff of this
facility.

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SCOPE
a. Basic terminologies
b. Etiology of dental phobia
c. Causes of dental phobia
d. Signs of dental phobia
e. Coping with dental anxiety
f. Intervening the fearful patient
g. Delivery of care to the fearful patient

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BASIC TERMINOLOGIES
• Anxiety is both a physical and
emotional response to an anticipated
experience that the individual
perceives as threatening in some way.
• Fear is an emotional response to a
genuine threat or danger.

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BASIC TERMINOLOGIES CONT
• Phobia is a persistent irrational fear of
a specific object, activity or situation
that leads to a compelling desire to
avoid it.
• Dental phobia is an unpleasant
mental, emotional, or physiological
sensation derived from a specific
dental related stimulus.

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ETIOLOGY OF DENTAL PHOBIA
• It is complex and multifactorial.
• It may appear at any age.
• No difference among socioeconomic
groups or racial/ethnic groups.
• Females are more fearful than males.
• Bad experience/post traumatic stress.
• Vicarious learning.
• Uncaring dentist.

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Source: BMC Oral HealthVicious cycle of dental phobia

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CAUSES OF DENTAL PHOBIA
• Fear of pain
• Fear of injections/ fear of injections will
not work
• Fear of anaesthesia side effects
• Clinical smell of dental practice
• Fear of dental instrument

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CAUSES OF DENTAL PHOBIA CONT
Source: Dental surgery 2DMSH
album
Fear of injection

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CAUSES OF DENTAL PHOBIA CONT
Source: Dental surgery 2DMSH
album
Dental instrument

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CAUSES OF DENTAL PHOBIA CONT
• Embarrassment and loss of personal
space which many patients are not
comfortable with the physical
closeness of dentist/hygienist.
• Fear of unknown.
• Feeling of helplessness and loss of
control.

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SIGNS OF DENTAL PHOBIA
• Classical avoidance behaviour.
• Trouble sleeping the night before the dental
examination.
• Feelings of nervousness that escalate while
in the dental clinic waiting room.
• Crying or physically ill at the thought of
visiting the dentist.
• Intense uneasiness at the thought of or
actually when objects are placed in your
mouth during the dental examination.

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COPING WITH DENTAL ANXIETY
• Discuss your fears with the dentist.
• Be open and honest with your dentist.
• Ask your dentist to explain what is
happening at every stage of the procedure.
• Establish a signal by raising your hands
when you want your dentist to stop.
• Find another dentist if he does not take
fear seriously.

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INTERVENING THE FEARFUL PATIENT
• Corah Dental Anxiety Scale.
• Kleinknecht’s Dental Fear Survey.
• Iowa Dental Control Index.

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CARE DELIVERY TO THE FEARFUL PATIENT
• Distract patient-music selection.
• Rest breaks.
• Relaxation-deep breath.
• Systemic desensitisation- video based
exposure/Computer –Assisted Relaxation
Learning.
• Guided imagery- mind/body exercise.
• Tell-Show-Do (TDS).

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CARE DELIVERY TO THE FEARFUL PATIENT CONT
• Reinforcement- reward desired
behaviour.
• Modelling.
• Hand-over mouth.
• Sedation.
• Electronic dental anaesthesia.

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CONCLUSION
• Patients with dental phobia are much
more likely to delay or avoid dental
appointment.
• Dental phobic patients may prove
difficult to treat, require more time and
present with behavioural problems
which may be stressful and unpleasant
for both the patient and the dentist.

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CONCLUSION CONT
• Dental anxiety and phobia can have
adverse impacts on a patient’s quality of
life.
• It is imperative to identify and alleviate
these significant obstacles to pave the way
for better oral health and overall well-
being of the individual.
• Extremely anxious or phobic patients most
frequently require combined management
approaches

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CONCLUSION CONT
• Patients who delay dental appointment for
a prolonged time, even if experiencing a
prolonged pain, might have extensive
problems that requires more complex and
complicated treatment.
• If patients are not managed appropriately
it is quite possible to establish a vicious
cycle of dental fear.

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REFERENCES
• Andlaw, Rock. A Manual of Paediatric
Dentistry. New York: Churchill
livingstone,2006, P.17-27.
• Armfield JM and Heaton LJ;
‘Management of fear and anxiety in the
dental clinic: a review’ Australian
Dental Journal, Vol.58, No.4, 2013,
P.390-407.

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REFERENCES CONT
• Folayan MO, Adekoya CA, Otuyemi OD,
Ufomata D; ‘Parental anxiety as a possible
predisposing factor to child dental anxiety in
parents seen in suburban dental hospital in
Nigeria’ International Journal of Paediatric
Dentistry, Vol.8,No.3,2012, P.52-53.
• Obarisiagbon A, Clement C. Azodo,
Omoaregba JO, James BO; ‘Clinical anxiety
among final year dental students: The
trainers and students perspectives’ Sahel
Medical Journal, Vol.16,No.2,2013, P.64-70.
5 Apr 18

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REFERENCES CONT
• Management of dental anxiety.
https;//www.nature.com/vital/journal
/v7/n4/full/vital 1239.html. Accessed
21 Mar 18.