The fear of the dentist is well known by everyone, but even more so in children. But are all children afraid to go to the dentist? Is it an expanded topic in society or is it a reality? We have to start by understanding some psychological aspects that affect the little ones when it comes to going to the dentist for the first time.
Is it normal for it to happen? We must bear in mind that fear and anxiety are normal reactions. The age of children is one of the most important factors of their behavior in the dental practice, so it is important to go to a pediatric dentist, a professional who knows firsthand the fears and fears of each age to act as is due in each case. The childhood fear has a series of reactions that are absolutely normal since they have not yet developed the adaptation to certain new and different situations.
This means that in all fear there is a “real” or logical part but there may also be another “imaginary” that oversize’s the existing danger. Generally, the term “dental fear” refers to moderate tension before and during treatment but does not make you unable to receive dental care. In case of aggravating the fear it becomes considered “dental anxiety”, when the apprehension is deeper, or “dental phobia” in the cases in which it makes dental care impossible.
There are some dental processes that can cause pain or other unpleasant experiences. The fear or anxiety responses will adapt to previous experiences.
Normally the “dental fear” will subside over the years but it will also depend on the good performance of the dentists, who should have sufficient capabilities and resources to defuse the situation as much as possible. The factors that contribute to increase the fear to determine in advance which children may have problems and thus be able to design forms of treatment adapted to each case. Instrumental vision and vibratory sounds are some elements that tend to enhance fear, so we will try to avoid them whenever possible.