Our colleagues here at CFD Chichester will be taking up the challenge of walking a marathon in a day on Sunday 6th May 2018. 

Centre for Dentistry's chosen charity is Anxiety UK . We are aiming to help our anxious patients, old and new, into conquering their dental fears and raising awareness of dental anxiety and phobia. 

Dental anxiety can affect anyone- for some people its a specific procedure which may scare them and others, their dental anxiety is so bad that it has prevented them from seeing the dentist in decades. The most common cause of dental anxiety is a bad experience.

According to statistics from the Oral Health Foundation, almost half of UK adults have a fear of the dentist, with 12% suffering from an extreme dental phobia or anxiety. Unfortunately, as many don't feel comfortable talking about their fears these figures could be a lot higher. Mild fear anxiety before seeing a dentist or a doctor is very common, but it does become a concern when the fear or anxiety stops people getting the treatment that they need. The most extreme dental anxiety is classed as 'odontophobia'. 

'Visiting the dentist is ranked the number one reason for people feeling nervous and is even more common that having a fear of heights', suggests the Oral Health Foundation. Dental health is a central part of your overall well being and its important to remember that poor oral health is not just about toothache and decay. It has a massive impact on your overall health, research over the past decade has revealed growing evidence that links poor oral health to serious health problems which include; heart disease, diabetes, problems during pregnancy and dementia. 

39% of people do not go to the dentist regularly and more than a quarter of adults only visit the dentist when they have a problem. This leaves 2% of the population of whom have never visited a dentist at all.  These are surprising figures!

This is why Anxiety UK is our chosen charity, to help people conquer their fears and get the support they need to see them through their treatment. If you would like more information about the practice or how to register with us, pop in and see us inside Sainsbury's Chichester, or call 01243 533 011.