Anaesthesia in the dentist’s office causes anxiety for many. Many cosmetic dentistry patients get anxious by the thought of anaesthesia, a new survey has shown. Up to 85 per cent of people feel worried about the use of anaesthesia, according to a poll carried out by the University of Salford. It showed that the top concerns were waking up during surgery, not waking up after the treatment and simply the general feeling of unease in the run-up to the procedure. Mark Mitchell, senior lecturer in the Faculty of Health and Social Care at the University of Salford, said: “Our survey underlines the importance of patients receiving planned and timely information about anaesthesia, prior to the day of surgery, in order to limit their dental anxiety.” Elsewhere, research carried out by Dr William H Frey and his colleagues at Regions Hospital in St Paul, Minnesota and published in the American Chemical Society’s bi-monthly journal Molecular Pharmaceutics showed the use of a nasal spray or drops in place of injections could be equally effective for anaesthetising patients who are undergoing treatments.
