This 1972 press release from the Oregon Dental Association addresses the fear of oral and facial pain in preventing people from seeking dental care and the role pain plays in managing our health.

From the text: "Modern dental therapy fortunately has enabled us to prevent or relieve pain for most patients. When patients realize this, they are less fearful about dental visits... It has only been in modern times that the value of pain as a signal and a warning of disease has been realized."

Fear and anticipation of pain as a barrier to dental care is also discussed in the 1845 book The family physician ; or, The reformed practice of medicine: on vegetable or botanical principles : being a compendium of the "American practice", also found in this exhibit’s Poultices, Placebos, & Progress section, courtesy of the National Library of Medicine.

The article appears on page 53. To skip to that page, type 53 in the black page number box at the top of the PDF.