Dental Phobias

    CHICAGO, IL, October 11, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The word phobia means "fear" in Greek. Our modern interpretation has extended it to mean "an irrational severe fear that leads to avoidance." Avoidance of the dentist can lead to a number of undiagnosed problems that can result is severe, long-term oral health issues. Addressing any fear is difficult, but dealing with dental phobias can be particularly burdensome since avoiding a dentist is relatively simple until a problem arises.

Common Dental Phobias
Many dental phobias are based on popular mythology about dental assistants acting immorally, or fillings leading to mercury poising. Others are based on personal experience with careless or unfriendly dentists in the past. Perhaps you were unintentionally hurt during a routine cleaning, or not supplied with enough Novocain during a filling or root canal. Others still are based on psychological trauma that has nothing at all to do with the dentist; childhood, and post traumatic stress trauma can cause fears that did not originate in the dental office, but extend to include them in a broader phobia.

Problems with Dental Phobias
The primary problem with dental phobias is a fear of the dentist can keep you from getting the oral care you need and deserve. Proper oral hygiene, including semi-annual visits to the dentist for cleanings and checkups, has been linked to overall health. Gum disease, oral cancer, and tooth decay often go unnoticed until it is too late to cure, or prevent serious damage. Only an experienced dentist, during regular exams, can detect and treat these issues before they grow into more extreme problems that require extensive surgeries or painful extractions. Staying away from the dentist impacts so much more than your oral health.

The Cure for Dental Phobias
As with all fears, the best cure for dental phobia is facing your fear head on. A friendly, experienced dentist can help you overcome even the most irrational of fears. Finding a dentist in and around Chicago can be extremely daunting however, and can help exacerbate your fears, and keep you away from the dentist for an even longer time.

If you live in, or around Chicago, Illinois, and have steered clear of dentists due to a phobia related to dental work, please visit the website of the friendly, gentle staff at Colonial Dental Group to discuss ways we can make your trip to the dentist more comfortable, and help you cure your phobia.

Website: http://www.ColonialDentalGroup.com

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