Dental Awareness and Phobia Research

2012 National Smile month starts May 20th continuing to June 20th

Current figures for Dental care include: Over 3/5 of adults in England and N. Ireland visit their dentists each year and 2/3 for the rest of the UK. Conversley; 1/7 who have ever attended a dentist, suffer extreme dental anxiety. There are physical effects too of poor dental care, including bacterial links to heart attacks and increased risk of type 2 diabetes. This information should not  create fear but awareness, in order that steps can be taken to improve holistic health. IN ADDITION:

For making people nervous, visiting the dentist is ranked number one with 22%, 10 times more than the 2% for visiting the doctor. Look out for a 2012 National Dental Survey. (nationalsmilemonth.org.)

Dental phobia is a problem for many people, in that it reduces or prevents people from benefitting from good oral health and many sufferers become embarrassed by it.

UPDATE 2012:- January 2012 NEWS: The initiative with the No Fear Dentist's practice in Twerton, Bath is growing and the aim is to take the awareness of the benefits of Hypnosis and Clinical Hypnotherapy to the whole of Bath. This development will widen the reality of how those affected by Dental Fears and Phobias can be handled by Dentists who include Hypnotherapy, to improve the lives of many people who think they are beyond help. Soon on this site there will be an additional questionnaire that can first be tried by people wanting to define whether they are just fearful or more strongly 'phobic' of attending the dentist. This will enable potential patients to take the first step towards that goal of better oral health that has eluded them.

So rewards are more than just what I offer initially, you may discover that the above practice will be able to assist you too. Both our services should help longterm problems and enable you to have the healthy teeth we all deserve.

"There is convincing evidence that hypnotic procedures are effective in the management and relief of both acute and chronic pain and in assisting in the alleviation of pain, discomfort and distress due to medical and dental procedures.”  etc. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypnotherapy#Medical_hypnosis)

I am still looking for over 18’s, adult volunteers who have had, or still have, or recently started, a dental phobia. They are being asked to answer a straightforward questionnaire to help with my continued research. In return they are offered a free consultation and some discounts on treatment.

For more information please contact me via the contact form on this website or this site phone number: 0117 9865201 or 07842512994 (mobile).

THE RELATIONSHIP OF FAMILY ATTITUDES TO DENTAL TREATMENT AND HOW OFTEN THIS AND OTHER FACTORS CONTRIBUTE TO CHILDHOOD DENTAL PHOBIAS

Background: There are many children with dental phobias and a need to permanently reduce these, or remove them, is still an issue. Methods:

a) not relevant here

b) Older, volunteers, suffering dental phobias in childhood, will be sought to answer questionnaires. These will be given to external people, gathered through internet agents and personal requests to appropriate local contacts.

Discussion: Current research indicates that although anxieties and phobias in the dental environment are being managed in a variety of ways, people, whose fears prevent them visiting dentists or more importantly, prevent their children, wait until pain or eating problems overwhelm them. If children are copying such things as parental fears and losing the benefits of good oral health and hygiene, how can dental workers or associated therapists do their job more effectively?

Links:
BBC related articles
Dental Hospital

Sept:Current analysis of results indicate that PAIN is a dominent reason for avoiding dentists.

 If you have not considered hypnotherapy for dental phobia then I would be delighted to help.

Questionnaire >>