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Dental Phobia
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual of Mental Disorders - DSM-IV, the following criteria applies to the
specific phobia and by extension to dental phobia itself :
The presence of persistent disproportionate
excessive fear due the presence or anticipation of an object or a specific
situation (either being exposed to dental equipment or the dental treatment
itself).
Being exposed to a phobic stimuli (dental
equipment or the treatment itself) almost always causes an anxiety response
which could result in a panic attack.
The patient is aware of his/her excessive
or disproportionate fear to the dental treatment.
The phobic situation is avoided or
experienced through great anxiety or discomfort.
Avoidance behavior, anticipatory anxiety or
the discomfort of the fearsome situation interferes considerably with the
patient's normal life and there is great discomfort by the patient due to
the fact that he/she is phobic.
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