Dental patients are postponing or cancelling appointments due to fear and anxiety, new survey suggests

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A new survey has suggested that British adults are cancelling or postponing dental appointments due to fear and anxiety.

Research conducted by Hudgell Solicitors revealed that over a quarter of patients have delayed or put off treatment altogether as a result of anxiety or dental phobia. The poll also found that 80% of adults are scared of going to the dentist, and that more than a third of patients haven’t seen their dentist for at least two years.

Vince Shore, one of the heads of medical negligence at the firm, said that it’s understandable for people to be apprehensive about going to the dentist, but suggested that it was worrying that so many people are avoiding appointments. Dentists recommend routine checks every 6-12 months, so the fact that a third of people haven’t been to the dentist for at least 24 months is alarming.

Regular dental checks are essential not only for good dental health, but also for general health. Dentists look for signs of decay and gum disease, but they are also trained to spot early warning signs of oral cancer and symptoms of other conditions that may cause changes in the mouth, for example, type 2 diabetes.

The latest figures suggest that dental attendance rates are lowest in Sheffield, with 42% of adults shying away from the treatment room in the last two years.

The most common cause of dental fear was pain. More than 45% of survey participants said that they were worried about going to the dentist because they thought it would hurt. Negative experiences in the past and the cost of treatment were other common reasons.

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