Fear of the dentist in statistical terms

The latest report, "Dentofobia - fear of a dentist, " provides interesting information. You can learn from it that:

• handsome dentist soothes the nerves of the patient,

• adrenaline level is reduced by the lack of queues for the visit,

• 81 per cent. of people are afraid of the dentist, of whom nearly one fourth cause of anxiety is ... the state of their own teeth, 19 percent. patients is not afraid of the dentist

• in the office people are afraid of smell, sounds of tools and working drills and prices.

Expensive trip to the dentist keeps awake at night many Polish patients- the prices charged for dental treatment were in third place in the study of perceived causes of stress before the meeting with a specialist. Almost half of patients feel the fear of costs.

The people questioned acknowledged that they are stressed because of:

• the unknown, if the dentist will be a good specialist (33 per cent. replies)

• sight of queues of people waiting for an appointment (25 per cent.)

• contemptuous attitude of the dentist (15 per cent.)

• money (40 per cent.)

• specific smell prevailed in the office (35 per cent.)

• sounds arising from the use of dental tools and drilling time (40 per cent.)

• the dentist himself/herself (30 per cent.).

The study also showed, how patients are affected by a dentist:

• 30 per cent. of patients is stressed by the presence of a dentist

• if the dentist is nice and a handsome it decreases stress level in nearly quarter of patients,

• adrenaline level decreases from 60 percent. patients if the dentist gives you a sense of security,

• 34 per cent. declares that the usual handshake by the dentist acts as a calming tablet,

• the best medicine on the nerves of the patient smile and good humor of the doctor- so it feels 90 percent.of the respondents

Poles are afraid of the dentist in bulk, mistakenly believing that the office is a place of pain, and treatment of teeth is just as uncomfortable as even 30 years ago. However, modern technology and shortened duration of therapy are the strengths that make 45 percent. respondents would give to convince the treatment of teeth. Just a shame that in our society still exists a large group of people (43 per cent. respondents), whom dentophobia does not allow to see a specialist.

- Instead of a small crack in the tooth we go to the dentist with holes. Instead of completing small cavities, we often end up on the removal of the entire tooth. In the minds of many Poles, our dentist's office is a place where pain is the norm, and it's not true. Swedes go to the dentist as to the spa, are not afraid of pain. The reason? 99% of Swedes have healthy teeth because of regular visits, and the problem of dentophobia in this country is history-explains Wojciech Fąferko, a dentist.