1. The physical reaction, as for example palpitation, sweating, trembling and muscle tension
2. Anxious thoughts, as for example the fear to lose control at the dentist or the self-imposed pressure to see the procedure through by all means. Many patients believe that they have particularly long roots and that they would break in the case of extraction of the tooth. From an objective point of view these thoughts are exaggerated and not realistic. Again other patients think that they can hardly show their teeth to the dentist because they have already been greatly destroyed. They are afraid of the reaction of the dentist or their assistants. Nevertheless, they forget that many pain patients have not visited a dentist for years and that dentists have already seen almost everything in their professional life.
3. Behaviour, as for example, fleeing from the fear situation "dentist's visit" or to avoid the dentist's visit from the start, or to bring certain aids, like tablets for an emergency.
What happens in the fear situations is a process of building up or a vicious circle of the 3 above described components of fear. The vicious circle of fear can be triggered, for instance, by the sight of a syringe, the noise of a drill or the typical smell in a dentists practice.
You perceive these thoughts, the sight, the noise or odours.
You experience physical changes, as for example palpitations, sweating, trembling and strain of the muscles
The bodily symptoms and your thoughts will intensify your fear.
A vicious circle will originate between your anxious thoughts and the physical reactions which might influence your behaviour, e.g., in the form that you would
