Dental phobias ‘likely to lead to decay and tooth loss’

People who have a severe fear of the dentist are more likely to experience serious oral health problems, new research has shown.

The King's College London research analysed data from 10,900 participants in the 2009 Adult Dental Health Survey, of whom 1,367 individuals were identified as phobic, to compare the oral health of the two groups.

Those with a dental phobia were shown to be more likely to have one or more decayed or missing teeth, while it was also indicated that these individuals more commonly reported a poor quality of life.

It suggests that people who avoid visiting the dentist on a regular basis are less likely to be able to avoid preventable oral conditions, while phobic patients who did attend surgery were also shown to prefer short-term solutions, such as extractions, instead of long-term care plans.

Lead author Dr Ellie Heidari, from the King's College London Dental Institute, said: "This phobia can have a major impact on a person's quality of life, including on their physiological, psychological, social and emotional wellbeing."

The researchers added that efforts should be made to provide these patients with detailed home-based oral healthcare plans, as this could help them to avoid acute conditions through preventative care.

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