Severe dental phobia? Overcome your terror with hypnosis

Severe dental phobia? Over come your terror with hypnosis

Do you find yourself getting unduly stressed when it comes time for that visit to the dentist? Do you find yourself unable to get on with things and realise you can think of almost nothing else? Does your heart beat faster when you think about it, or your hands become clammy, or your breathing shortens, or you are simply not able to fully concentrate on conversations, tasks requiring your attention, or your ability to prioritise your general workload?

If any of this resonates with you, then you are very likely to be suffering from Dental Phobia, an often overwhelming fear of visiting the dentist and receiving dental treatment.  Recent surveys show that up to 53% of UK residents are frightened to visit their dentist and amongst those, some 17% of the population are so scared of dentistry, that they simply will not go to the dentist even for essential dental work. That figure represents more than one-in-six people, potentially missing regular check-ups and not getting necessary dental treatment when they need it most.

If you believe you are one of those people, you run the risk of experiencing deteriorating oral health. Some problem with your teeth or gums that appears to be very minor now, could become severe in the future and ultimately, these issues may well affect your ability to chew, smile, laugh, talk, and even to eat comfortably. So then you become aware that you are not interacting with others very naturally, as your confidence diminishes though this fear, which is taking over your life!

This phobia can often mean that individuals deliberately avoid dental visits for their regular check-ups, because they cannot bear the idea of being in a dentist’s practice, listening to all those noises specifically associated with dentistry.

The tools used, along with the sounds associated with them, may cause a great deal of intensified fear as the patient sits in reception, waiting to go in. Noises such as, the sound of the drill whirring and whizzing, the distinctive feel and sound of the suction tool during a scale and polish, the sounds of metal tools touching each other, fear of pain or needles, the clinical smell of the disinfectants used, along with the sight of the dentists and dental nurses wearing their masks and their uniform scrubs, all combine to heighten the intensity of that fear.

If the feeling becomes so frightening that it stops you going to the dentist altogether, even when you are in great pain, then you are suffering from an even more intrusive version, known as Dentophobia. This condition is an extreme fear which is out of proportion to the situation. There are many ways in which this may have manifested itself. Past negative experiences, family history, which in hypnosis is known as, ‘learned behaviour,’ severe gag reflex, or indeed, feeling a loss of control, can all lead to Dentophobia.

The good news however, is that there is help for your fear, at whichever level you may be suffering. Exposure therapy, guided imagery and relaxation techniques are just some of the ways you can learn to overcome this disorder. You can learn breathing techniques, which help to switch off your ‘fight or flight’ mode and allow you to relax. These techniques can work with all forms of anxiety, not just dental fears, so they are invaluable and easy to remember. Have some calming music to hand, something which resonates with you, is also calming and distracting for the mind. Music is a great leveller for an over-wired mind.

Hypnosis is a wonderful, gentle way of learning how to overcome your fears, whatever they may be, and in doing so, take back control of your life.

The greatest realisation to come from this, is that once you have overcome this fear, you become aware, confidently, that you can overcome just about anything. It is a win, win situation all round. By diminishing all of those irrational thoughts in the human brain, hypnosis can create a feeling of calm and confidence – a belief that you are indeed, back in charge, enabling you to get through those appointments and treatments that have troubled you so much for so long. https://mindinmotion.co.uk/clinical-hypnotherapy/

In a recent research paper, from the Dental Tribune, German scientists examined the efficacy of various complimentary interventions, against the psychological stress and anxiety relating to dental treatment. From 29 studies evaluated, using different therapies and techniques, they concluded that providing detailed information to the patient, playing music, teaching relaxation and distraction, all act positively against mild to moderate dental fear. But taking all these therapeutic measures into consideration during this research, Hypnosis proved to be the most effective tool . The added benefit is that it can be used in practice, even without specialist knowledge of the technique. There are many recorded cases, easily accessible, of people undergoing root canal treatment on video, using only hypnosis and being comfortable and pain free throughout.