Fear of dentist drill similar to spider phobia

Dentist drill panic is similar to the fear of spiders

04/01/2014

Few people like to go to the dentist. Many are afraid of lying helplessly in the dentist's chair with their mouth wide open and having to hear the drill. Researchers now found out that this panic before the drill resembles the pathological fear of spiders.

Panic before drill like spider phobia
To lie helplessly in the dentist's chair, his mouth wide open and the buzzing sound of the drill in his head, can hardly make a nightmare for dental phobics look worse. Researchers have now found that the panic before the drill resembles the pathological fear of spiders and not the blood, injury and injection as previously thought. This was the conclusion reached by Graz scientists in a recently completed project funded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF).

Pictures of dentists with drills
The Austrian scientists showed subjects with dentist panic and those who have no corresponding problems, different pictures. On these were dentists with drills from the self-perspective, the muzzle of a gun, disgusting motives such as maggots and neutral things such as cups and irons pictured. The researchers determined in the investigations, the brain waves of the subjects, their pulse and how much they distorted the facial muscles.

Greater anxiety and increased attention
The researchers found that dental phobics had a higher heart rate and brainwave when they saw images related to dental visits. They were thus able to measure greater anxiety as well as increased attention. „We observed that in the phobics, the brain area was more active, in which optical stimuli are processed, so they stared at the pictures much more intense and attentive“, said Anne Schienle from the Institute of Psychology of the University of Graz, the Austrian news agency APA.

Therapies from the treatment of animal phobias
„In the treatment of animal phobias you already have a good repertoire of therapies that you can now use in dental phobics“. said Schienle. The exaggerated fear is not only bad for the nerves, but also for the teeth. If those affected avoid or delay dental visits, ultimately, dental health suffers. This reduces the likelihood that the next dental treatment will be relatively painless.

Women less anxious than men
Although there are no exact figures on dental phobics, it is estimated that about five to ten percent of the population of Western countries could be affected. Last year, a survey commissioned by the „pharmacy magazine“, carried out by the Opinion and Research Institute GfK that about one third of men only go to the dentist when toothache has already set in. They said that they first took painkillers or used home remedies. The women interviewed were less anxious. Only 16.5 percent of the patients go to the dental office only when pain is felt. (Ag)

Picture: Karl-Heinz Laube