The research, which was conducted by YouGov as part of the National Health Report 2015, found that a third (33 per cent) of those who have ever visited a dentist felt scared before a dental appointment. The possibility of having to have a procedure done polled as the top reason why people suffer from a phobia of dental care, with 31 per cent of those surveyed admitting this is what they were afraid of when visiting.
Almost a third (30 per cent) of surveyed UK adults said they would rather clean a toilet and 14 per cent admitted doing their tax returns would be more desirable than a visit to the dentist.
Among those who had ever visited a dentist, needles and injections were the second most off putting reason (30 per cent) and bad childhood memories of the dentist chair or not liking having medical treatments in their mouth was the joint third most popular reason, with just over one in five (22 per cent) of those surveyed admitting past experience has scared them about visiting the dentist. Thirty eight per cent of 25 to 34 year olds surveyed admitted to being scared of potentially having a procedure done – making it the most fearful age group when it comes to having work done.
Worryingly, 25 per cent of UK adults have taken toothache treatment into their own hands. The age group most likely to treat their toothache themselves is 45 to 54 year olds, with 30 per cent of respondents admitting to doing it themselves.
Eddie Coyle, head of clinical operations and a practicing dentist at Oasis Dental Care, said: “There are a number of ways to help keep yourself calm before and during a trip to the dentist. A lot of people’s fears can come from a lack of trust, relinquishing control and the unknown. Visiting the dentist regularly helps to build up a rapport with your local clinic team which is a big part of putting people at ease.
“We take great care in ensuring our patients have the best possible experience when they visit an Oasis Dental Care practice. If they let us know they have a fear of the dentist, we make sure that from the moment they arrive at the practice we make their visit as relaxed and stress free as possible. The National Health Report found that for this is often not enough, with over a third of dental patients (34 per cent) admitting they would like access to dental sedation. For dental phobic patients, we offer dental sedation treatment in many of our practices.”
The North East was one of the braver regions when it comes to visiting the dentist, with 43 per cent having no fear at all. Yorkshire and the Humber was named the region most fearful of the dentist, with 15 per cent of those surveyed feeling very scared before an appointment.