Fear of visiting the dentist has been cited as one of the reasons that people avoid getting dental treatment. For some, the anxiety and stress they feel at an impending dental appointment is too much to bear.

In such situations, hypnosis can offer a solution. According to the British Society of Medical and Dental Hypnosis (BSMDH) it has been used successfully in the dental profession for many years. It has numerous applications; prior to, and during treatment, and post-operatively. The organisation asserts that hypnosis is extremely useful for reducing anxiety and fears and can prove to be invaluable as the more a patient can feel relaxed, the less uncomfortable or painful their dental experience will be, allowing the treatment to be more straightforward and easier for all concerned.

Graham Temple, Honorary Secretary of the BSMDH, and Chair of its Yorkshire branch, believes that the most basic effect of hypnosis is increased relaxation.

He explains, ‘It is not some mystical power transmitted from the operator to the subject. In fact, contrary to popular opinion, a patient is never under the ‘control’ of the operator, indeed, quite the opposite. The aim is to help the patient gain more control, over their thoughts, their feelings, and consequently their actions. It seeks to alter the patients perception, thus enabling them to cope more successfully, and to be more in control.’

Far from being a ‘new age’ practice, the use of hypnosis can be traced back to primitive cultures. The ancient Egyptians had their Temples of Sleep, and the Greeks their Shrines of Healing, where patients were given curative suggestion whilst in an induced sleep.

Graham adds that for children, particularly, hypnosis can be very effective. ‘In general, children are very receptive, especially to stories, and will easily go into trance, allowing treatment to be carried out and that hypnotic suggestion can be used to increase compliance with oral hygiene instruction, and to remove habits such as thumb sucking,’ he says.

There are also advantages to members of the dental team, according to hypnotherapists Anthony Asquith and Andrew Cain who run workshops on the subject. They use four rapid hypnotic inductions to introduce calmness in dental patients, and can help the dental professional better understand trance states such as anxiety, how patients communicate their messages at an unconscious level and how to read these signals. The dental professional can also consider their own emotional state management with several approaches to aiding calmness when working with anxious patients and also explore quick recovery after stressful situations.

For futher information contact The National Office, BSMDH. Tel: 07000 560 309 www.bsmdh.org and Fear Free Dentisty, Tel: 01273 732690, or visit www.fearfreedentistry.co.uk