Fear triggered by past experiences. A painful or unpleasant experience in your childhood can trigger lifelong anxiety at the dentist. You can also get triggered by hearing horror stories from others, resulting in fear of pain and mistrust of dentists.
2. Fear of dental tools. Dentists use various tools, such as needles, drills, and suction devices that may be intimidating if you're not familiar with them.
3. Fear of side effects. Some people are afraid of the potential side effects of anesthesia.
Fear of anesthesia not working. Others are worried that the anesthesia won't work to prevent pain during the dental procedure.
4. Fear of loss of control. It's common for people to feel helpless when reclined in a dentist's chair with their personal space invaded and without being able to see what's happening during the procedure.
5. Fear of embarrassment. Many people feel self-conscious about having their teeth examined and are worried about bad breath and being judged on the state of their oral health.
6. Generalized fear. Your fear might not have any specific cause, yet it can still prevent you from getting the dental care you need.