According to recent studies conducted by Peter Milgrom, director of the Dental Fears Research Clinic at the University of Washington in Seattle, between 5 to 8% of Americans avoid going to the dentist because of their fear, and an even higher percentage (around 20%) experience enough anxiety that they will only go to the dentist when it is extremely necessary. These numbers may increase in different countries but the fact of the matter is that there are several causes that may trigger deep fear when someone is told to consult with a dentist. For the most part this type of phobia can be traced back to a patient's childhood when a dentist might have forgotten to apply anesthesia during a treatment and accidentally hit a nerve dead on, in other cases patients have learned to fear certain items such as a dental drill and needles which are used during certain procedures.

Regardless of the cause of your fears it is important to realize that you are not alone and that you can't overcome your fears, let's take a look at five easy steps you can take in order to control your phobia.

-- Getting Help from Friends and Family Members

If you have a moderate fear of the dentist, getting in touch with a friend or a family member who is not afraid of dental procedures can help you immensely to overcome your fears in fact, many dentist will recommend and encourage for you to bring a family member or friend during a dental consultation, this way you will feel more relaxed and at ease.

-- Getting Professional Help

If you simply can't bring yourself to think about going to the dentist regardless of the level of pain that you're enduring it would be a great help to get in touch with a psychologist before you consider going to the dentist, this way you can get a gradual and direct therapeutic exposure to certain times that make trigger your fears. Most people would not even think about consulting with a psychologist to help them overcome their fear to the dentist but if your phobia escalates to such a level this may prove to be an extremely useful measure.

-- Have an Open Conversation

Before you ever come into contact with the dentist chair it would be a great help for you to have an open and honest conversation with your dentist regarding your fears and pain threshold, you may also discuss about the different types of sedatives that are available to help you feel comfortable during a dental procedure. Most dentists have received special training which helps them deal with nervous patients and they will apply certain techniques to help you feel more in control during such situations.