Dental 4 Less, Having Dental Phobia Can Cost You Your Oral Health
People with dental phobia are more likely to have active caries (tooth decay) or missing teeth, a new study from King’s College London has confirmed.
The latest study, published in the British Dental Journal, aimed to explore the social and demographic correlates of oral health and oral health related quality of life of people with dental phobia comparted to those without dental phobia. The findings showed that people with dental phobia are more likely to have one or more decayed teeth, and missing teeth as well. In addition, the study showed that those with dental phobias’ reported that their oral health related quality of life is poor.
The results from the study showed that dental phobic people were more likely to have caries (tooth decay) in comparison to non-phobic respondents, and were likely to have one or more missing teeth. The report argued that this could be because many people with dental phobia avoid seeing a dentist on a regular basis to address oral conditions that are preventable and chronic in nature. Once a visit has been made, the phobic patient might also prefer a short term solution instead of a long term care plan, such as extraction.