‘Phobia’ is defined as ‘an irrational severe fear that leads to avoidance of the feared situation, object or activity’. Exposure to the feared stimulus provokes an immediate anxiety response, causing the sufferer acute distress and potentially having a huge impact on their quality of life.
The most recent Adult Dental Health Survey found that 12% of adults had extreme dental anxiety (which would be classed as ‘phobia’), with it proving more of an issue for women than men.1 It is widely acknowledged that around half of the UK population suffer with milder forms of dental fear,2 which can inhibit many people from visiting the dentist for those all-important check-ups.
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