Afraid of the Dentist? MHAP Has Help!

August 25, 2014 11:44 AM

While this week’s Hotel Voice reports on the great job Kids Days does in teaching children to have no fear of doctors and dentists, the truth is that there are many adults with the same problem.

It’s true. Fear of visiting the dentist is a larger problem than most people realize. That’s because avoiding the dentist can lead to very serious health problems, including an increased risk of heart disease. How can avoiding the dentist make you an increased risk for heart disease? The overload of bacteria in your mouth can actually lead to a build-up of plaque in your arteries as well as the formation of blood clots.

But that’s not all. Avoiding the dentist can also cause gum disease, poor nutrition, tooth decay and cavities, bad breath, and enamel erosion. These are the reasons the Members Health Assistance Program (MHAP) will soon be hosting a program with the Midtown Dental Center to help members and their families overcome their fear of going to the dentist.

How widespread is the fear of visiting the dentist? Well, for starters, 75 percent (75%) of all Americans have some level of dental anxiety or fear, and as many as 15 percent (15%) of all Americans avoid needed dental care because of dental anxiety and other fears. It is widely believed that between 30 and 40 million Americans are so afraid of dental treatment they avoid it altogether. Those figures can be alarming even in our own Union, where studies and polls have shown that not everyone who is eligible to use our dental facilities has done so in the last 18 months.

It should be noted that the fear and/or avoidance of dental visits is more common in women than in men and is more common in younger people than older members. According to Dr. Sam Karp, the head of the Members Health Assistance Program (MHAP), there is a “cycle of avoidance.”

Karp says, “Many people avoid the dentist until they have such a bad dental situation that they need an invasive procedure to correct it. That invasive procedure only reinforces their fears of going to the dentist in the future.” 

Leading reasons people avoid going to the dentist have been identified. The number one reason, as many would think, is that the person had a previous painful or negative experience visiting a dentist or, more likely, heard about a negative experience from someone else. Another reason is that people feel like they are not in control when sitting in a dentist’s chair. Still another reason is the fear of needles and blood. In addition, there have been too many negative and unfair portrayals of dentists in film and TV. Also, a lot of people avoid the dentist because they have a sensitive gag reflex, a problem that can be addressed.

“Because there are so many problems associated with avoiding the dentist, not the least of which is a highly increased risk of heart disease, MHAP and the dental program decided it was important to come up with a program to deal with this situation,” Karp told Hotel Voice. He added, “We will be starting the ‘Overcome Your Dental Fears’ program in September. It is a joint venture between the Midtown Dental Center and MHAP. It will teach relaxation methods and systematic desensitization and exposure techniques, so that most participants will eventually be able to easily undergo a dental exam and/or treatment upon completing the program.”

Hotel Voice will soon provide more information on this innovative program and how members and their families can participate. For now, it is important for everyone to understand that avoidance of dental check-ups or treatments can lead to very serious health issues. If you or someone you know is avoiding the dentist out of fear or for any other reason, MHAP can help. For more information, call MHAP at 212-237-3037.