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ON PINS AND NEEDLES

Posted: Oct, 13, 2011
Thanks to a host of technical and procedural developments, most patients view a visit to the dentist with little, if any, trepidation.  However, if you are wary of going to the dentist you are not alone.  It is estimated that one in 20 people suffers from severe anxiety about dentistry (known as odontophobia), and about one-third of all people say they experience moderate anxiety when visiting the dentist.  Fortunately, the dentist can effectively work with anxious and fearful patients who make their concerns known.  Patients can avail themselves of treatments such as relaxation techniques and tranquilizers/sedation to lower their tension levels.  Recent research shows that the ancient Chinese treatment of acupuncture also effectively quells patient anxiety and pain.

P.S.  According to a recent study, dental patients who underwent five minutes of acupuncture treatment saw their Beck Anxiety Inventory  scores drop from 26.5 to 11.5

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