Smells Sounds and Sights of the dentist
Most people that have a fear of the dentist have an averse reaction to the smell sights and sounds of the office. Many people that have a this phobia cringe at the smell of dental procedures. If you are one of these individuals relax the smell is gone (in most new dental offices) The smell of the dental office really no longer exists. However, some smell of antiseptic can occasionally be unavoidable. So take into account the overall atmosphere of the place.
You can judge if an office is phobic friendly if all instruments are out of plain sight. As much of it as possible should be hidden away, and only taken out as needed. A cluttered environment and instruments scattered about is not a good sign for any work environment.
Even the layout of a dental office can lend itself to being more phobic friendly. Does the place look clean (but not “sterile”)? Is there a cheerful energy or just not scary. What’s the overall “feel” of the place? Of course, the people who work there make the most impact. Your dentist can make all the difference in changing the overall atmosphere, but if the treatment room doesn’t look clean and organized this can be a bad indicator.
If you have an adverse reaction to the sight of instruments being placed in your mouth, try simply closing your eyes. On the other hand, there are people who like to see exactly what is going on, in which case you can ask your dentist to show you what’s going on with the help of mirrors.
The Sounds
Not sure anyone out there really likes the sounds when you are in the dental chair but if you haven’t been to a dentist in a long time, it might be a comfort to know that they’re not quite as noisy as they used to be. Also, keep in mind that when you hear noise coming from instruments placed in your mouth, your mouth acts like an amplifier and it sounds much louder than it actually is. Your dentist should always demonstrate any instrument that makes a noise to you first, so that you know what it sounds like “in reality”.
Sounds are subjective experiences. We are all aware of how your voice sounds totally different if you cover your ears while speaking. The best solution to muffle the sounds of the dentist chair remains the i-pod. Make sure the music that you are listening to is relaxing and comforting.
