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If you’re dreading the dentist, be sure to know you’re not the only one. A stranger poking in our mouths with noisy metal instruments you'd see in the Saw movie is surely not the most reassuring sight. According to a survey conducted by DentaVox on 18,000 people globally, 61% of respondents said they have dental fear.
To put it in perspective, 39% of them said they were are afraid of the pain, followed by the smell of chemicals (24%) and the sound of the drill (21%). And while it seems like those who have a dental fear of some sort would be more likely to take care of their dental hygiene in order to avoid sitting in a dental chair, that’s not exactly the case.
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Tiril Willumsen, a professor at the University of Oslo’s Section for Paediatric Dentistry and Behavioural Science, explained: “If their phobia is extremely strong, they might find it uncomfortable doing anything with their teeth all. Even brushing them can be too unpleasant,” she says.
The vicious cycle starts when people who have toothaches from cavities can find it traumatic to even brush their teeth. If the fear of dentists becomes so strong that it starts to affect one’s life, it’s considered a phobia known as odontophobia. In this case, one should consult an expert in mental health who could help to find an effective psychological treatment.
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