For some patients, a visit to the dental office for treatment can be an effortless experience. Unfortunately, for other patients it can be a terrifying and traumatic experience that can be unbearable. Fear of the dentist has hindered how children receive care at a dental office and determines the quality dental service a patient receives. It is important for dentists to develop a strong relationship with their patient in order to deliver high quality and effective treatment and to also increase their chances of returning to the dentist for annual checkups to ensure healthy oral habits.
There are numerous factors that contribute to fears in a dental office. Sensory stimuli are one of the reason patients have major anxiety at their appointments. In a dental office there are many sensory stimuli. These include bright florescent lights, touch in and around the mouth, as well as the taste and smell of oral care products which can trigger a patient’s anxiety and cause them to have a negative experience. While in a dental office, patients also feel a sense of insecurity when laying in a dental chair in a supine position and giving all of their control to the dental provider. This increases negative responses such as moving, crying, kicking, etc., which makes it difficult for dentists to provide precise, accurate and successful treatment.
Dental fear and anxiety start from as young as two years old. Creating a rapport during a child’s first dental visit can minimize their fear and will most likely make additional visits less stressful. In addition, a friendly relationship will help the patient gain trust for their dentist and will help children adapt to specific stimuli such as the sight of anesthetic needles, drilling sounds and sensation of the dental hand pieces which are aspects in dentistry known to increase anxiety.
The fear of the dentist amplifies for children with special needs patients, specifically those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Autism is characterized by insidious disability in communication, social interaction, and using language and abstract concepts. Parts of the brain such as the cerebellum and limbic system are known to have deformities, which translate to severe behavioral issues. Dental care for these patients can be difficult because they are unable to communicate their discomfort or issues they experience during treatment. Therefore, it may be difficult for a dental provider to understand what they need at the time of treatment. In addition, dental care may also be difficult to access for patients with ASD because dental students are most likely not exposed to patients with disabilities when studying dentistry and may be hesitant to provide care to these patients when they graduate and are practicing.
It is vital to overcome barriers on how to successfully treat not only children and adults, but specifically patients with autism spectrum disorder, especially with the prevalence rates of ASD rising. There are many techniques available to help patients overcome their fears and anxiety in a dental setting. Children often enjoy pictures and screens with different shapes and colors to ease their anxiety. By incorporating pictures and visual techniques this can be a way to calm a child and increase cooperativity so that they can not only get the required care, but also allow the dentist to provide outstanding treatment. In addition, dental providers may opt to work closely with occupational therapists and other clinicians that are more familiar and knowledgeable on patients with ASD. This way the dental provider gets proper training and advice on how to treat patients with behavioral and cognitive difficulties.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bu.edu/oai:open.bu.edu:2144/44004 |
| Date | 09 March 2022 |
| Creators | Horta, Thayna |
| Contributors | Davies, Theresa A. |
| Source Sets | Boston University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
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