This document discusses dental phobia, defined as an intense, irrational fear of dentistry and dental care. It begins by defining phobias and differentiating between anxiety, fear, and phobias. It then defines dental phobia and its types including dentophobia, odontophobia, and trypanophobia. The document outlines the signs and symptoms of dental phobia and discusses its causes such as direct traumatic experiences, indirect experiences through others, media portrayal, and lack of control. It notes that dental phobia is most common among phobias and more prevalent in women and younger people. Scales for diagnosing and managing dental phobia include behavioral techniques like desensitization and pharmacological approaches like nitrous oxide

2. DENTAL
PHOBIA
PRESENTED By:
DR. FAIQA ASHRAF
HOUSE OFFICER
IDC, SIALKOT

3. “BEING BRAVE IS NOT THE
ABSENCE OF FEAR.
BEING BRAVE IS HAVING
THAT FEAR BUT FINDING A
WAY THROUGH IT.”
-BEAR GRYLLS

4. LEARNING OBJECTIVES
⮚To Define Dental Phobia
⮚To Differentiate Between Anxiety, Fear And Phobia
⮚To Discuss Types Of Dental Phobia
⮚To Determine Causes Of Dental Phobia
⮚To Study Prevalence Of Dental Phobia
⮚To Diagnose And Manage Patients Of Dental Phobia

5. CONTENTS
• DEFINITION OF DENTAL PHOBIA
• TYPES OF DENTAL PHOBIA
• SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
• CAUSES
• PREVALENCE
• DIAGNOSIS
• MANAGEMENT
• CONCLUSION

6. WHAT IS PHOBIA?

7. • PHOBIA:
A Type of anxiety disorder.
Defined as:
“An extreme, irritational fear of a specific
object, activity or situation that leads to a
compelling desire to avoid it.”
⮚Fear of needles (Trypanophobia)
⮚Fear of Flying (Aerophobia)
⮚Fear of being Alone (Monophobia)
https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/explore/phobias-list

8. HOW TO TELL IF YOUR FEAR IS
A PHOBIA?
• It’s normal to experience fear, and most people have
at least one or two irrational fears. However,
sometimes fears can turn into phobias and begin to
interfere with your normal living.
• A Phobia is an intense fear.
https://www.google.com.pk/amp/s/m.wikihow.com/Tell-If-Your-Fear-Is-a-Phobia

9. TERMINOLOGIES
▪ ANXIETY:
Reaction to an unknown danger.
▪ FEAR:
Reaction to a known danger.
Involves “Fight or Flight” response.
▪ PHOBIA:
Same as fear, but is more intense.
The Biology of fear- and anxiety-related behaviors Thierry Steimer, PhD 2002 Sep; 4 (3)

10. DENTAL PHOBIA
• DEFINITION:
An intense fear of dentistry and of receiving
dental care.
https://en.m.Wikipedia.org/wiki/Dental_fear

11. TYPES OF DENTAL PHOBIA
DENTOPHOBIA
ODONTOPHOBIATRYPANOPHOBIA
https:www.allaboutcounseling.com/library/dental-phobia-dentophobia-odontophobia

12. TYPES OF DENTAL PHOBIA
❑Dentophobia :
Fear of dentists.
❑Odontophobia:
Fear of dental treatments.
❑Trypanophobia :
Fear of needles or injections.
https:www.allaboutcounseling.com/library/dental-phobia-dentophobia-odontophobia

13. TRYPANOPHOBIA

14. SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
• Trouble sleeping the night before the dentist appointment
• Feelings of nervousness
• Crying or feeling physically ill at the very thought of visiting the
dentist
• Intense uneasiness at the thought of, or actually when objects
are placed in mouth during dental appointment .
https://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=43089

15. CAUSES OF DENTAL PHOBIA
DIRECT
EXPERIENCES
INDIRECT
EXPERIENCES:
• 1.Vicarious
Learning
• 2.Mass Media
• 3.Lack of control
Fear Of The Dentist – Causes and Cures for Dental Anxiety - Oradyne July 2016

16. DIRECT EXPERIENCES

17. DIRECT EXPERIENCES
• Direct experience is most common way people
develop dental phobia.
• Painful or traumatic dental experience.
• Impersonal, Uncaring, uninterested or cold dentist.
"Fear Of The Dentist – Causes and Cures for Dental Anxiety - Oradyne". 11 July 2016

18. INDIRECT EXPERIENCES

19. INDIRECT EXPERIENCES
1. Vicarious Learning
2. Mass media
3. Helplessness and perceived lack of control
"Fear Of The Dentist – Causes and Cures for Dental Anxiety - Oradyne". 11 July 2016

20. 1.VICARIOUS LEARNING
Dental phobia may develop as people hear about
others traumatic experiences or negative views of
dentistry.
"Fear Of The Dentist – Causes and Cures for Dental Anxiety - Oradyne". July 2016

21. 2.MASS MEDIA
The negative portrayal of dentists in mass media and cartoons may
also contribute to the development of dental fear.
Movies:
1. The Dentist
2. The Dentist and its sequel
3. Marathon man
(Dr. Christian is a war criminal
who tortures with dental equipment)
https://en.m.Wikipedia.org/wiki/Dental_fear

22. MARATHONE MAN

23. 3. HELPLESSNESS AND
PERCEIVED LACK OF CONTROL
Research has shown that perception of lack of control
leads to fear.
https://en.m.Wikipedia.org/wiki/Dental_fear

24. SOME COMMON CAUSES AND
THEIR MANAGEMENT:
CAUSES
• Prior negative experience
• Helplessness and lack of control
• Embarrassment
HOW TO MANAGE?
• Reassurance
• Patients need to be reminded
that they can stop the procedure
at any time.
• Patients with embarrassment on
condition of their teeth need to be
reminded that dentists see their
teeth in all conditions & don’t
judge their patients for poor oral
health.
https://www.dentalfearcentral.org/fears/dental-phobia

25. PREVALENCE
▪ Women tend to report more dental fear than men.
▪ More in younger people than older
▪ People tend to report being more fearful of more invasive
procedures than less invasive procedures.
Prevalence of dental fear and phobia relative to other fear and phobia subtype
Oosterink FM, et al. Eur J Oral Sci.2009

26. PREVALENCE
According to a survey:
• Among phobias, DENTAL PHOBIA was most
common, followed by height phobia and spider
phobia.
Prevalence of dental fear and phobia relative to other fear and phobia subtype
Oosterink FM, et al. Eur J Oral Sci.2009

27. IMPACTS OF DENTAL PHOBIA
IMPACTS ON SOCIETY
Patients who delay having dental treatment because of their fear, the
consequences can be unnecessary pain and suffering.
IMPACTS ON DENTAL TEAM
The cost of missed or unfilled appointments becomes a financial
issue for the dentist.
IMPACTS ON THE PATIENT
Poor oral hygiene
Loss of self esteem
The impact of dental phobia on daily living British Dental Journal 189, 385-390 14 October 20000

28. DIAGNOSIS
Phobia of dental care is diagnosed by:
• Corah’s dental anxiety scale
• Modified dental anxiety scale
Humphris G M, Morrison T, Linday S J. The Modified Dental Anxiety Scale: validation and United Kingdom
norms.Community Dent Health 1995;12:143-

29. Corahs dental anxiety scale

31. MANAGEMENT
• Combination of pharmacological and behavioral
techniques.
Strategies to manage patients with dental anxiety and dental phobia: literature review Deva Priya Appukuttan 2016

32. BEHAVIORAL TECHNIQUES
• Positive reinforcement
• Use of non threatening language
• Tell Show Do Technique
• Other techniques:
⮚ Relaxation techniques
⮚ Systemic desensitization
Strategies to manage patients with dental anxiety and dental phobia: literature review Deva Priya Appukuttan 2016

33. “TELL, SHOW
DO
TECHNIQUE”
“TELL”:
The technique involves verbal explanation of
procedures in easy to understand language.
“SHOW”:
Demonstration of sight, sound, smells and tactile
aspects of procedure in non threatening way.
“DO”:
To perform actual procedure.
Techniques for managing patients in pediatric dentistry Farhat-McHaylen N, et al. j Can Dent Assoc.2009

34. PHARMACOLOGICAL
MANAGEMENT
• Topical Anesthetic gels
• Dental patches
• Nitrous oxide (Laughing gas)
• Conscious sedation
• Oral sedatives such as Benzodiazepines (Triazolam
0.125mg-0.5mg), (Lorazepam 0.25mg-4mg),
(Diazepam 2-10mg)
Strategies to manage patients with dental anxiety and Dental phobia : literature review Priya Appukuttan 2016

35. DIFFERENT PHOBIAS RELATED
TO DENTISTRY
PHOBIAS HOW TO OVERCOME?
FEAR OF UNKNOWN ▪ COUNSELING
▪ TELL SHOW DO TECHNIQUE
SENSITIVE GAG REFLEX ▪ DISTRACTION TECHNIQUES
FEAR OF LOUD NOISE ▪ WEAR EAR PLUGS
▪ NOISE CANCELLING HEAD
PLUGS TO BLOCK OUT SOUND
UNABLE TO BREATHE THROUGH
THE NOSE
▪ NASAL STRIPS TO HELP THEM
BREATHE
FEELING UNCOMFORTABLE LYING
BACK IN A DENTIST’S CHAIR
▪ SUPPORTING PILLOWS
▪ UPRIGHT POSITION

36. CONCLUSION
• Dental anxiety and phobia can have adverse impacts on a person’s
quality of life, and hence 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.
• It is the duty and responsibility of the dentist to provide excellent dental
care to these patients with special needs as well.
• Management of these patients should be an integral part of clinical
practice, as a substantial proportion of the population suffers from
anxiety and fear.

37. REFERENCES
• Fear of the dentists- causes and cures for dental anxiety-Oradyne 11July 2016
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dental_fear
• Gatchel RJ, Ingersoll BD, Bowman L, Robertson MC, Walker C (October 1983). “The
prevalence of dental fear and avoidance:a recent survey study.”
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4790493/
• Strategies to manage patients with dental anxiety and dental phobia: literature review Deva
Priya Appukuttan 2016
• Techniques for managing patients in pediatric dentistry Farhat-McHaylen N, et al. j Can Dent
Assoc.2009
• https://webmd.com/oral-health/easing-dental-fear-adults
• https://www.oral-health/basics/dental-visits/what-is-dental-anxiety-and-phobia
• Humphris G M, Morrison T, Linday S J. The Modified Dental Anxiety Scale: validation and United Kingdom
norms.Community Dent Health 1995;12:143-