London, April 1 (IANS) A new study has revealed that one five-minute session of acupuncture can significantly help cure the fear of going to the dentist.

During the study, researchers recruited patients who had previously avoided dentist and found that they were able to undergo dental treatment after receiving a session of acupuncture.

The study looked at 16 women and four men who were all afraid of going to the dentist. They were given sessions of acupuncture, which targeted two specific points at the top of the head, reports telegraph.co.uk.

After the acupuncture, the patients were able to undergo their dental treatment. A questionnaire designed to assess their fears found that their anxiety levels had more than halved.

Researchers believe that acupuncture "may offer a simple and inexpensive method of treatment" although they warned that larger studies were needed to confirm the findings.

The findings are published in the journal Acupuncture in Medicine.