People could reduce their anxiety about dentistry by having acupuncture.

People who have a fear of the dentist’s office could reduce their dental anxiety by undergoing acupuncture treatments, it has been claimed.

According to Cathy Wong in her blog for Alt Medicine, 16 women and four men who were anxious about dentistry were given a course of acupuncture and in half of the cases, they said their anxiety had been reduced as a result of the treatment.

Furthermore, all of the participants were able to follow through with planned dentistry treatments after they underwent the acupuncture.

Indeed, Ms Wong noted that other treatments like biofeedback and hypnosis have also been shown to provide help in people managing their anxiety when it comes to check-ups and emergency dentistry procedures.

Elsewhere, a study by researchers from the UK and Denmark recently showed that in the majority of cases, anxiety levels can be reduced following acupuncture, as the body releases natural chemicals to calm a person.

Acupuncture could be of use in reducing anxiety.

People worried about emergency dentistry treatments might like to have acupuncture sessions in order to reduce their anxiety, it has been stated.

A study by researchers from Sheffield and Denmark showed that in the majority of cases, anxiety levels can be reduced following acupuncture, as the body releases natural chemicals to calm a person.

Those that took part in the research all claimed to have had a fear of the dentist for between two and 30 years, yet the results showed that typical levels of stress were more than halved for those who underwent acupuncture.

“Acupuncture prior to dental treatment has a beneficial effect on the level of anxiety in patients with dental anxiety and may offer a simple and inexpensive method of treatment,” the study’s authors noted.

Elsewhere, the CNN Wellness blog recently reported that not coping with stress properly can lead to real problems with oral health, as people tend to grind their teeth more.

Indeed, the post revealed that in many cases, people who are stressed do not realise they are grinding their teeth, as they do it in their sleep.

The dentist’s office is to become more relaxing.

Patients are being urged to “rest and relax” at the dentist’s office rather than to feel nervous, it has been claimed.

The Manila Bulletin reported times are changing and people now expect more out of a visit to their dentist than just the medical expertise on offer – they want to be made to feel comfortable and relaxed and this is a change now taking place across the industry.

Overall wellbeing is therefore now the order of the day and in order to facilitate this dentist’s are providing a more welcoming environment in which to wait, which are spacious and relaxing places to visit.

Elsewhere, WKYC.com recently reported improvements in technology in the dentists’ office are making the prospect of sitting in the chair less daunting.

The online publication claimed technological advances have led to the use of less-invasive procedures, especially in the field of diagnostics, where digital cameras can now be used instead of X rays.

The dentist’s chair is not as scary.

Improvements in technology in the dentist’s office are making the prospect of sitting in the chair less daunting, it has been claimed.

Gone are the days when a person would be drilled for hours at a time or be made to sit in uncomfortable positions while the dentist tries to get pictures of the problem in a person’s mouth, according to WKYC.com.

Instead, patients are now able to relax while digital camera technology is able to take pictures with ease and these images are sent via email to a lab where impressions of the mouth can be created and prosthetics made.

Elsewhere, people who are keen on sport were recently advised to always wear a mouthguard when getting involved in physical activity.

North Bay Today reported the Canadian Dental Association has recommended that all athletes use these devices to ensure that the rough and tumble of sport does not impact on their oral health.

Fear of dentist’s office linked to background.

A study has been carried out which has found a link between children who have psychological problems and fears over the dentist.

Cosmetic Dentistry Guide reported research from the University of Gothenburg’s Sahlgrenska Academy revealed children from turbulent family backgrounds are more likely to have a fear of visiting the dentist.

Child dentistry specialist Annika Gustafsson said the impact of parental attitudes cannot be underestimated, as children will mimic their parents and if they have a negative view of dental health then their children are likely to as well.

Elsewhere, the St Louis Post-Dispatch recently reported research carried out by the US Centers for Disease Control showed a quarter of kids aged two to five and half of those aged 12 to 15 suffer from tooth decay.

The study noted parents should take the time to make sure children are comfortable with taking regular trips to the dentist in order to help improve these figures in the future.

Dentists are nothing to fear, it has been stated.

People have been urged not to hate visiting the dentist and instead to look forward to the trip.

Dr Murali Srinivasan wrote in a blog for Health First that people should not be apprehensive about a check-up, as making regular appointments can ensure they maintain the best level of oral health.

He noted: “Eat smart, brush well and go for regular dental checks-ups to maintain healthy teeth and gums, which in turn will make your smile a confident and long lasting one.”

Elsewhere, Dr Laura Torrado recently wrote in a post for Your Story that dental professionals will carry out multiple procedures at the same time in order to achieve the best results for patients.

She noted it is important to achieve the best final outcome and often the best way to do this is to combine procedures to ensure everything about a person’s smile remains in proportion.

New anaesthesia reversing drug has been developed.

A new drug has been developed that can reduce by half the amount of time its takes for anaesthesia to wear off after dental treatments.

King 5 reported the drug can help patients feel normal faster and reduce some of the side effects of anaesthesia after an operation, such as grogginess and disorientation.

“It causes vasodilation, so it makes those blood vessels dilate in the area and the act of the dilation helps to reverse the affects of the anaesthetic,” commented Dr Vidya Sankar, director of the oral medicine clinic at the University of Texas Health Science Center.

She added it can help people get back to their daily lives faster.

Elsewhere, a new plasma jet drill has been created by Dr Stefan Rupf from Saarland University in Homburg that could replace the traditional dentist’s drill in as little as three years, he claimed.

Dr Rupf claimed the device would be non-invasive and practically pain-free and could therefore be a large step forward for the industry.

Teeth damage is the number one claim against anaesthetists.

The most common claim against anaesthetists over the last ten years has been for patients who have had their teeth damaged by a laryngoscope, it has been revealed.

Dentistry.co.uk reported medico-legal adviser Dr James Armstrong said the average payout for those who have had their teeth injured in this way was £1,500 plus costs last year, according to figures from the Medical Defence Union.

He commented: “If something has gone wrong and the patient’s teeth are damaged, the possibility of legal action should not preclude an apology and explanation of how the damage occurred.”

Elsewhere, a dentist in Sweden had to carry out treatments on a patient 151 times over a six-year period as they kept making a hash of the procedures.

In total, the unnamed dentist carried 71 treatments on the same tooth.

When contacted, the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare claimed there were no records of the dentist’s qualifications or patient records.

Children can have their fears allayed about visiting the dentist.

People across the UK have been advised of three of the best ways to ensure children do not develop a fear of going to the dentist’s office by a national newspaper.

The Mirror reported that firstly, parents should tell children what to expect from a visit to the emergency dentist, as this will put them at ease and ensure nothing that happens which is a surprise to them.

Secondly, kids should be taken along when a parent goes for their check-up in order to see that it is not a scary experience.

And finally, allowing children to take along a favourite teddy or toy can help put them at ease and ensure they do not feel out of their comfort zone when having a check-up of their own.

Elsewhere, Big News recently reported that Brits looking to avoid bad dentistry should always ask to see a portfolio of a dentist’s work before signing on with them.

In this way, the news provider noted, people are able to gauge before and after shots of a dentist’s handiwork.