Discomfort or serious panic?
People whose mood suddenly brightens when they enter the dentist's office are probably the absolute exception. Most people feel more uncomfortable when they smell the office. This is where we have already identified a first difference between discomfort and pronounced fear. It is normal and does not require treatment if we do not like going to the dentist. Dental phobia, on the other hand, can be said to occur when the mere thought of the dentist or the smell of the office is enough to cause outbreaks of sweat, nausea and anxiety attacks.
People with dental phobia experience very extreme feelings of fear and panic when they confront the need to go to the dentist. This is also the reason why they avoid going to the dentist, often for many years. The result is teeth that urgently need treatment. However, treatment is often postponed until the person with dental phobia really has no other choice. But then they are caught in the middle of a vicious circle, because comprehensive treatments increase the fear again. But there are solutions for fear of the dentist.
Symptoms of dental phobia
People with fear of the dentist show both physical and psychological symptoms. Physically, sweating or chills often occur, but heart palpitations and strong heartbeats also occur. As the appointment approaches, dizziness and lightheadedness often occur, and tremors and tingling skin can also occur.
Fear of the dentist can also lead to muscle tension, dry mouth and difficulty swallowing, and result in fatigue and frequent urination.
The psychological stress on people with dental phobia should not be underestimated. Even unobtrusive noises are often perceived as too loud, and those affected react with fear and anxiety. The constant tension also makes it difficult to relax naturally, and the ability to concentrate decreases. Starting with blushing, anxious patients can experience feelings of alienation, sleep disorders, panic attacks and increased irritability.
The causes of fear of the dentist
Opinions differ on the causes of dental phobia. They range from genetic defects and heredity to traumatic experiences of people. It can be assumed that the fear comes from different "corners", but the assumption that traumatic experiences dating back to the past are the trigger for the panic is one of the most conclusive analyses.
Dental phobia often has its roots in childhood. If a child comes across a non-empathetic dentist and experiences the treatment as a heavy burden, a pronounced fear can manifest itself that builds up and stabilizes over years and decades. Important insights can be gained here, for example, from psychotherapy in which the patient's history is processed.
What you can do
In contrast to earlier times, dental phobia is taken seriously today. Those affected used to be "wimps" who were not taken seriously, but dental phobia is now generally accepted. This offers prospects, because the treatment of people with dental fear is now comprehensive and takes the patient's emotions into account.
In extreme cases, only general anesthesia can help with dental phobia. But before this is favored as a measure, other treatment options should be considered. After all, anesthesia always involves risks, and health insurance companies generally do not cover it.
Possible alternatives are deep sleep, hypnosis, but also relaxation techniques that can noticeably reduce fear. Psychotherapy should be considered as an accompanying measure in order to not only address the symptoms, but also the causes.
Who should pay for it?
There is no general answer to the question of whether and which treatments related to fear of the dentist are covered by health insurance. On the one hand, every case is different and must be considered individually. On the other hand, it makes a difference whether the patient is privately or publicly insured.
For those with statutory insurance, the options for reimbursement are extremely clear. Although the costs of psychotherapy can certainly be covered, the actual treatment - for example under general anesthesia - is usually not paid for, or only within the framework provided for by the law. This means that the fears and needs of anxious patients are only addressed to a limited extent. Health insurance companies usually argue about the "medical necessity" that must exist in order to reimburse treatment. Psychotherapy can therefore often be considered a medical necessity, but special treatment at the dentist is not. Although this corresponds to the legal framework, it is hardly understandable from a common sense perspective.
The situation is somewhat different for privately insured patients. For them, there may be the possibility of reimbursement of costs. Whether this is actually the case depends, firstly, on the tariff that the insured person has chosen. And secondly, it always depends on the individual case. It is therefore strongly advised not to read the terms of your health insurance tariff and assume that the treatment will be covered. Instead, it is always advisable to ask your health insurance company to be on the safe side. This also applies to statutory health insurance. Because even if the chances of success are not very high, you should definitely ask. And after all, it doesn't cost anything.