Acupuncture Punctures Dental Fears

One in five people have dental phobias and dread going to the dentist so much they endure painful toothaches for weeks before making an appointment. But now through acupuncture needles people can be freed of their dental fears and restore their teeth back to health.

In Austria, researchers worked with 182 adults who had dentist appointments. They were divided into three groups. Some had acupuncture at three points inside the ear that reduce anxiety, others had acupuncture at three points outside the ear not associated with anxiety, and others had no acupuncture.

After the acupuncture, those who received it in the anxiety reduction area, had a 7.3 point reduction in fear, and the control group, which had no acupuncture, had a 3 point increase in worry. After the treatment, 98 percent said they would use acupuncture again before another dental treatment.

Acupuncture is an alternative medicine that has its roots in China. Through inserting needles and stimulating certain points, traditional Chinese medicine states that it can balance the flow of energy or chi believed to flow through pathways in your body. Others see acupuncture points as a way to stimulate certain nerves, muscles and connective tissue to increase your body’s natural painkillers and blood flow.

If you want to try acupuncture at home before your next dental appointment, just apply pressure at each spot in the ear that reduces anxiety for 10 to 15 minutes, or use ear clips to create acupressure at all three spots and pop your dental fear.

If acupuncture doesn’t interest you, we also have sedation dentistry at our San Antonio office that will ease your dental anxieties and help you feel like you slept through your dental appointment. Contact Wurzbach Parkway Family Dental to learn more about how to have a dental appointment free of fear.