This past Friday was the 13th. Fear of the number 13, or triskaidekaphobia, can be quite common. The first car accident I had was on a Friday the 13th, in an October no less! I’d like to think I’ve moved past it but in all honesty, I really haven’t.
Anxiety is best described by the International Association for the Study of Pain as, “a nonspecific feeling of apprehension, worry, uneasiness or dread, the source of which may be vague or unknown. A normal reaction when one’s body, lifestyle, values, or loved ones are threatened.” I think that is a great way to sum up the fear of the number 13 as we don’t live near Camp Crystal Lake.
I also see this every day in children in the practice. They have apprehension, uneasiness, etc. about coming in even though they have never been to a dentist. This can be a bit of learned response from friends, classmates, and their own caregivers. Parents, do not let your odontophobia (fear of the dentist) get passed on to your child, making them handicapped in this fashion.
Trypanophobia, the fear of injections, is also a big reason why adults avoid the dentist. This can be in about 20% of people. The use of sedation dentistry can be great in overcoming these fears. Please reach out to us so that we can help you and restore your dental health!
Congratulations to the San Jose Sharks for beating our Nashville Predators Thursday night. It seems they do not have ailurophobia as the black cat that ran across the ice before the playoff series began did not seem to be an omen of doom!
