A recent study in ‘Acupuncture in medicine’ shows that patients with odontophobia (extreme anxiety surrounding dental treatment) were successfully treated with acupuncture.
Of the 20 patients that took part in the study all participants were able to proceed with their dental treatment after acupuncture, whereas previously this was only possible in 6 patients due to extreme anxiety. All patients were in their forties and had been battling the problem for between two and thirty years. The authors point out that several attempts have been made to conquer this type of anxiety, including sedatives, relaxation techniques, behavioural therapies, biofeedback and hypnosis. Acupuncture may offer a rapid, safe treatment option for patients where other treatment modalities have been unsuccessful.
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http://www.dentistry.co.uk/news/news_detail.php?id=2654