A mouthful of panic: the fear of the dentist

Massimo still remembers the exact moment because ever since, the mere thought of a dentist is sending him into a panic. "If it hurts, just raise your hand and I'll stop, okay?" A sentence that was supposed to reassure him, but which shattered Massimo's trust in dentists forever since his raising his hand was answered by a: "Oh come on, this doesn't hurt!" Today, years later, the 30-year-old still hesitates when calling a dental practice, having not been to one for what feels like ages. "I can't actually remember ever liking going to the dentist."

There were several incidents that turned Massimo's anxiety – initially just the usual nervousness of everyone – into outright panic. Firstly, the constant accusations that he wasn't taking good care of his teeth, even though he brushed them several times a day as a young boy. Then the aforementioned moment of shock. "To this day, I still wonder how medical staff can be so insensitive and ruthless with children, " says the 30-year-old. Perhaps it was just bad luck, but Massimo is just one of many patients who developed a panic fear of the dentist due to bad experiences.

When trust is broken

The last time he had such an experience was just a few years ago, during his last visit to a dental practice. After years of meticulous care to prevent any problems in his mouth, Massimo broke a tooth during the Covid lockdown and was desperate to find a new practice. After several rejections due to his anxiety, he found what he was looking for: "At one point, I was sitting on a chair in a practice and shaking like a world champion. Then everything turned out differently than expected." The dentist that friends had suggested to him was friendly, gentle and took his time. Appointment after appointment, not only did Massimo's dental problems decrease, but his panic also subsided.

"However, when I turned up for my last treatment, I was told that my dentist had moved to another practice and I was left to his successor." Massimo realised that the latter was unfortunately not very good with anxious patients, so the young man left the practice untreated and in tears. Now, years later, the 30-year-old has once again chosen three potential medical specialists, but has not yet found the courage to make an appointment.