Dentaphobia

“Dear Dr. LeCrone,

My 73 year old father has a terrible fear of going to the dentist. He has developed some significant problems with his teeth and has been pulling his own teeth with a pair of pliers when he has problems. He hasn’t been to a dentist in many years. When my mother was alive she had to drag him to our family dentist and then only when he was in severe pain. Our family doctor suggested taking my father to a psychologist. I can’t see the connection. Can you help?”

Surveys have shown that up to 20% of the population admits to fear of dental activities. Many individuals avoid going to the dentist at the expense of dental deterioration, gum disease, and other dental problems. Reasons given may include:


Fear of needles and pain.

Claustrophobia while in the dental chair.

Bad experiences with past dental treatment.

Negative images of dental treatment in the media.

Fear of loss of control during dental procedures.


Neglecting dental treatment can threaten not only a patient’s oral health but also their self-esteem resulting from bad appearance and/or bad breath. More recently, reports linking gum and heart disease have made adequate dental care even more important.

Current dental training is including more psychological components along with other more traditional elements of dentistry. Helping patients reduce fear by using relaxation techniques, hypnosis, and other psychological techniques are assisting many patients with “dentaphobia”.

Other areas of psychological intervention in dentistry include patients suffering from temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ). This painful sensation in a patient’s jaw hinge is often treated by using appliances to prevent grinding the teeth. However, some patients can be treated successfully by using biofeedback or other behavioral techniques to address the stress that often underlies the clinching and grinding problem which frequently results in headaches and severe joint pain.

Psychologists are sometimes asked to address self-esteem issues in patients seeking orthodontia treatment. These patients may become so obsessed with the alignment of their teeth that they insist on dental braces even when deemed unnecessary by the orthodontist.

Psychologists may also be consulted when a dentist notices enamel loss that is a result of stomach acid erosion of teeth due to the purging in bulimia, a serious eating disorder.

With the large number of Americans approaching the age where more dental problems can occur, psychologists can assist in adjustment to dental intervention in later life.

Harold H. LeCrone, Jr., Ph.D. Copyright 2004