What is Dental Phobia?

Dental phobia is a condition that impacts many Americans, but it doesn’t have to prevent you from getting the dental care you need. Dr. Liqing Zhang and her staff at A to Z Dental in Chicago Heights, and Flossmoor, or Richton Park, IL can provide the care you need.

Is Dental Phobia the Same as Dental Anxiety?

Many people suffer from dental anxiety. It is often due to a fear of needles or to express stress before or during a dental visit. It might cause the feeling of butterflies in the stomach or nervousness while sitting in the dentist’s chair. While it’s uncomfortable, dental anxiety can typically be managed much more easily than a dental phobia.

Dental phobia is much more severe than dental anxiety. It is a condition in which anxieties about visiting a dentist become irrational fears.

As opposed to nervousness and unease, people with dental phobia are often completely terrorized by the thought of dental work. In extreme cases, it can cause people to entirely avoid a dentist's office, leaving them without proper oral care. And though it can also be managed, it takes more work and a dentist that is sensitive to the situation.

Signs of Dental Phobia

Some of the most common signs of dental phobia include:

  • Extreme nervousness that cannot be calmed
  • Crying or experiencing other extreme emotions
  • Difficulty breathing when thinking of your dental visit
  • Difficulty eating and sleeping as the appointment approaches
  • Becoming physically ill prior to or during your visit
  • Complete avoidance of dental visits due to fear

How to Manage Dental Phobia

Dental phobia is a serious issue that should not be ignored. You might consider therapy in Chicago Heights, Flossmoor, or Richton Park, IL to help you understand and address your fears so that you don’t have to live with them your entire life.

Therapy can be beneficial, but you don’t have to wait until you’ve received therapy to see a dentist. People with dental phobia can undergo sedation dentistry, which is a process through which medication can help you relax during your treatment. There are several methods available for sedation that you can talk through with Dr. Zhang to choose the best for you.

If dental phobia plagues you, contact Dr. Zhang and her team at A to Z Dental in Richton Park, IL at (708) 481-2288, Chicago Heights, IL at (708) 709-1708, or Flossmoor, IL at (708) 957-2030 to schedule an appointment today.

Contact Us

Send us an email today!

Our Locations

Find us on the map

Hours of Operation

Our Regular Schedule

Monday:

9:00 am-6:00 pm

Tuesday:

9:00 am-6:00 pm

Wednesday:

9:00 am-6:00 pm

Thursday:

9:00 am-6:00 pm

Friday:

9:00 am-6:00 pm

Saturday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Sunday:

Closed