Acupuncture Helps With Fear Of Dentists

A new study carried out in Austria aimed to analyse whether acupuncture in the outer ear (auricular acupuncture) could reduce fear of dental treatment in nervous patients. Patients were either given the real acupuncture in the outer ear, ‘fake’ acupuncture in the shoulder or fingers or no acupuncture at all. They completed psychological tests before and after the treatment. The researchers found that those who received the real acupuncture in the ear were the most relaxed. This led them to conclude that the use of auricular acupuncture could be a useful tool for nervous patients prior to their dental treatment.

So if you know you’ve got a dental visit planned and it’s making you feel anxious, why not try acupuncture first?