Common Dental Fears

Though some dental fears are related to early unpleasant or traumatic experiences at a dental office or an encounter with an insensitive dentist, a great number of individuals have anxiety despite the fact that they have had no such history. Fears that are frequently associated with visits to the dentist are:

Needles

Drills

Pain

Feeling pinned down

Anesthetic effects

Things in the mouth

Losing control

Smell of antiseptic and odor of drilling

Inability to breathe

Not being able to swallow

Someone too close to the face

Dentist unsympathetic to fears

Disapproval by the dentist having to do with patient’s care of teeth

Fear of the unknown (for children, especially)

Dental Stress Home

	Needles
	Drills
	Pain
	Feeling pinned down
	Anesthetic effects
	Things in the mouth
	Losing control
	Smell of antiseptic and odor of drilling
	Inability to breathe
	Not being able to swallow
	Someone too close to the face
	Dentist unsympathetic to fears
	Disapproval by the dentist having to do with patient’s care of teeth
	Fear of the unknown (for children, especially)