A story about a patient’s fear of visiting the dentist and how it affected her experience. While the story is relatable and can be helpful for people who share the same fear. Dental anxiety is very common among dental patients.
Disclaimer: All names, characters portrayed in this story are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased)
Murphy's Law is a popular adage that states, "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong."
However, there’s another interpretation of this law that applies to our state of mind, especially when it comes to fear. According to this interpretation, “The more you fear something, the more likely it is to happen.” Let’s explore this law through the story of a patient who was terrified of visiting the dentist and finally how she overcome her dental anxiety.
Meet Nyara, a 35-year-old marketing professional who had been avoiding the dentist for the past five years. Nyara had always been terrified of dental procedures, and the more she thought about them, the more anxious she became. Her fear had become so intense that she would experience panic attacks even at the thought of sitting in the dentist’s chair.
One day, Nyara began experiencing intense pain in her teeth. She tried her best to ignore it and tried home remedies but the pain grew worse as the time passed by
On the day of her appointment, Nyara’s anxiety was at an all-time high. She imagined the worst-case scenario, like the dentist drilling into her teeth and causing excruciating pain. As she walked into the clinic, her heart rate was increased.
The dentist, Dr. Smith, greeted Nyara with a warm smile and reassured her that everything would be okay. However, Nyara couldn’t shake off her fear. As the dentist examined her teeth, Nyara felt her anxiety mounting. Finally, Dr. Smith recommended a root canal procedure.
Nyara’s anxiety skyrocketed as she heard the term “root canal.” She had heard horror stories about root canals, and her mind began conjuring up images of pain and suffering. The more she feared the procedure, the more she felt convinced that it would be a painful and traumatic experience.
The Procedure Day and Dental Anxiety at Peak
Finally, the day of the procedure arrived. Nyara’s fear had reached all time high, and she was convinced that something terrible would happen. However, as the procedure began, Nyara was surprised to find that it wasn’t as painful as she had imagined. In fact, Dr. Smith was gentle and patient, and the procedure went smoothly.
After the procedure was over, Nyara felt relieved and grateful. She realized that her fear had made the experience seem much worse than it actually was. She also understood the truth of Murphy’s Law, that the more we fear something, the more likely it is to happen.
In the context of dentistry, Murphy’s Law can be a self-fulfilling prediction. If we fear dental procedures, we’re more likely to experience pain and discomfort during them. However, if we approach these procedures with a positive and calm mindset, we’re more likely to have a pain-free and comfortable experience.
In conclusion, Murphy’s Law holds true not just for mechanical failures and mishaps but also for our emotional states. Dental anxiety and fear can make our worst nightmares come true, while positivity and calmness can make even the most challenging situations bearable. So, the next time you’re at the dentist’s office, try to keep a positive and calm mindset, and you might be surprised at how smoothly the experience goes.
Please share your first dental visit experience with us in the comment section.
