In The News
Dreading the dentist — Waiting 'til it hurts fuels a vicious cycle
Craig Daily Press
August 14, 2004
DENTAL HYGIENIST SHELLEY PARSONS uses an intraoral camera that allows patients to see the inside of their mouths at Yampa Valley Dental & Associates. "New technology and preventive care help ease patient's fear of dentists," Parsons said.
"I'm not afraid of the dentist," Craig resident Sharon Mathers said. "I'm petrified."
Mathers is not alone. According to the Dental Phobia Treatment 9 percent to 15 percent of Americans avoid necessary dental care due to fear of the dental experience.
"As soon as I see the dentist's chair I start crying and I can't stop," Mathers said. "And there's no reason for it, and I'll admit it."
While Dentophobia, the fear of dentists, plagues some, many others simply become anxious and uncomfortable at the thought of someone poking and prying around in their mouth.
Craig resident Johnny Parker said he takes extra good care of his teeth year-round to justify skipping out on one of his two dental check-ups each year.
"I just don't like anyone messing with my mouth," he said. "The pain has to be really bad — like I'm dying — for me to go to the dentist (voluntarily)."
Shelley Parsons, a dental hygienist at Yampa Valley Dental & Associates, said most of her adult patients know there is nothing to be afraid of, but no one looks forward to a visit.
"The most common fear is of what we're going to find," she said.
Parsons explained that for those who don't go to the dentist because they are afraid of the pain, every trip is a Catch-22.
They avoid the dentist until something really hurts, so the visit to fix the problem is bound to be unpleasant. If patients see a dentist regularly, problems can be prevented, and visits wouldn't be painful.
Mathers said she is fully aware of this, but still "only goes when they start hurting."
"If I went more, I wouldn't have to go as often, and it wouldn't be as bad," she said.
Educating patients about new technology and preventative care in the dental field has helped expose this misconception that dental visits have to hurt.
"Dentistry has changed so much. It is so much more comfortable," said dental hygienist Cricket Dewall, who works under Dr. John Ilko in Craig.
"I wish people wouldn't let their apprehension keep them away," she said.
Dental experts also are taking steps to ensure that the next generation doesn't inherit the older generation's fears.
Debi Harmon, executive director of the Northwest Colorado Dental Coalition, which is devoted to children's dental care, explained that kids don't naturally have a fear of the dentist — it is instilled in them by their parents or their peers.
"Even a parents' voice or body language — kids pick up on that and it can accidentally create fear or apprehension," she said.
To avoid this, the Dental Coalition educates parents on how to make their child's dental experience fun, not scary. Harmon said the worst thing a parent can do is use the threat of the dentist or a shot as a behavioral management tool at home.
Parsons said she has noticed much less apprehension in children than adults. She has even seen children fight over who gets to sit in the dentist's chair first.
"Kids now start coming in when they are 3 years old," Parsons said. "Nothing is wrong then, so we don't have to push anything.
"By the time they need anything done, they are comfortable and they trust us."
But for those who still have nightmares about the dentist, pre-medication is available.
Colbert Levy
Daily Press Staff
Craig Daily Press
www.craigdailypress.com