More than a third of people in Scotland failed to get their teeth checked in five years due to a fear of the dentist, new research has revealed.

Concern over potential problems accounted for why 8 per cent of Scots avoided visiting the dentist, while the same number were concerned over the cost of treatments, the Daily Record reports.

Of the 2,048 adults interviewed by the Implantium Network, 7 per cent said that a fear of the dentist was the sole reason why they had not had their teeth checked more often.

The company’s managing director Jason Buglass said: “There are courses available to help Britons overcome their fear of the dentist and many practitioners are compassionate to nervous patients and will take extra time to reassure them.”

He explained that by failing to have regular check-ups people could end up with extensive problems and require costly and invasive treatments.

The Daily Mail recently reported that American neuroscientists had unveiled new sound technology that claims to relax nervous patients by slowing the brain waves in to a state associated with meditation and sleep.