A new survey has revealed that 52% of UK adults are afraid of the dentist. Dental phobia is a serious problem, especially when you consider that visits to the dentist are essential for gum health. Which in turn helps to prevent systemic diseases like heart disease and diabetes that have been linked to gum disease.
For many, it is not the procedures themselves that they are afraid of. Fear of the dentist is deep-rooted, psychological, and even the thought of an appointment in the chair can trigger symptoms of anxiety.
However, good oral health is key for a good quality of life. Oral diseases, whilst mostly preventable, can cause pain and can have an enormous impact on general health and the ability to eat, speak and smile freely. And, it’s estimated that 39% of UK adults don’t go to the dentist regularly, 66% have visible plaque, and 31% have tooth decay.
It’s so important to find ways to overcome dental anxiety and fear, and we make this as easy as possible at 543. In this blog post, we’ll delve into the causes of dental phobia and explain how 543’s dental professionals go above and beyond for nervous patients.
Let’s look at the statistics
The recent survey by Space Dental revealed that:
- 52% of UK adults admit they fear the dentist.
- 18 to 24 year olds are the most scared of the dentist (63%), followed by 25 to 34 year olds (57%).
- Women (56%) are more scared of the dentist than men (47%).
- The top four regions for dental fear in the UK are Scotland (59%), East Midlands (58%), London and the North East (56%).
What is there to be scared of?
The Space Dental survey delved further into what is causing this widespread fear of the dentist, and the biggest source in the UK was revealed to be fear of pain (48% of respondents with dental fear).
However, fear of pain was not the only factor revealed in the survey. Other contributing factors were:
- Fear of drilling
- Fear of needles
- Fear of the unknown
- Bad past experiences
- Diagnosis anxiety
- Gag reflex
- Loss of control
- Fear of anaesthesia
- Embarrassment
- The smell of dental clinics
How legitimate are these fears in 2024?
Dentistry has come a long way in recent years, and technology continues to come on leaps and bounds. Dental treatments get quicker and even more comfortable every year. While a lot of dental fear is rooted in bad past experiences and unpleasant experiences as a child, the aspects that sparked these negative connotations are likely no longer part of dentistry – especially here at 543!
The top cause of dental phobia in the UK is fear of pain, but dental visits and procedures should not be painful. Dental professionals are able to use local anaesthetic and also sedation if necessary to reduce any possible pain from a procedure. It’s important to remember that a good dental professional will never want to cause you pain. If you feel uncomfortable during a procedure – just say!
Another notable contributor to dental fear is fear of the unknown or diagnosis anxiety. This kind of anxiety is one that will snowball the longer it goes unaddressed. Avoiding visits to the dentist can lead your oral health to worsen, which can begin to impact health beyond your mouth. It can also lead to more costly treatment and cosmetic procedures down the line. No oral health problem is beyond help, and it’s likely that your oral health problems are easier to treat than you think!
Our advice is to get your appointment booked now and get it out of the way – you will feel like a weight has been lifted from your shoulders.
How 543 puts nervous patients at ease
Many of our 543 staff are specially trained in dealing with anxious patients, and passionate about dispelling dental fear! This includes teaching patients relaxation techniques that will lessen anxiety throughout their visit, helping them cope with their treatment journey.
Patients do not need to worry about pain, as our dental professionals take special care to ensure comfort throughout their procedures. Areas are carefully numbed before any treatment is provided. We also are able to use sedation in cases of significant dental fear.
543 invests in the latest cutting edge technology, such as intraoral scanners that make taking impressions a minutes-long process. We also have an exceptional team of friendly, highly skilled dentists who are always striving to update and expand their dental knowledge – keeping us at the forefront of new developments in the industry.
Don’t just take our word for it
Patients are always leaving us fantastic feedback about how we’ve helped their dental phobia disappear!
“I was very anxious going in as I’ve had bad experiences before with dentists and this was my first time going private. My dentist was so lovely and took lots of time to explain everything she was looking at and the treatment options available. They made me feel comfortable and listened to all my concerns. I really couldn’t recommend them enough”
Jess
“Really understanding of my fear of the dentist. I had the sedation to have a tooth removed and they explained everything. I would highly recommend this practice.”
Micky
“I went in for treatment this morning, met a dentist who has not seen me before. I was really pleased and felt at ease, something very important for me as up until a few years ago I had a serious phobia of the dentist that has lasted over 25 years! Thank you very much, incredibly professional, I felt completely at ease and in good hands. Can’t thank them enough.”
Michelle
Dental phobia is nothing to be ashamed of and statistics show it’s very common. 543’s team is friendly, welcoming and trained in helping people with dental phobia. If you’re worried and you’d like to have a chat with someone first, call Sara, our treatment coordinator, on 07772 640585.
