Dental Anxiety and Its Impact on Oral Health

Dental anxiety is associated with a decline in overall oral health-related quality of life, suggests a new study published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine. The interaction between dental anxiety and the establishment of a consistent dental care routine has been an ongoing challenge.

Dental anxiety or fear is a widespread psychological phenomenon that affects a substantial portion of the population worldwide, often leading to avoidance or hesitation in seeking dental care. It is characterized by feelings of apprehension, unease, or fear specifically related to dental procedures and clinics. This state of anxiety can vary in intensity, ranging from mild uneasiness to severe phobia, and it significantly affects an individual’s oral health and overall well-being.

Dental care routine plays a vital role in maintaining optimal oral health, preventing dental diseases, and ensuring an overall better quality of life as well as social acceptance. However, individuals with dental anxiety may experience considerable challenges in adhering to their daily dental care practices. The anxiety surrounding dental procedures and settings can give rise to avoidance behaviors, resulting in poor oral hygiene, delayed dental treatment, and compromised oral health outcomes.

Unfortunately, there is limited available data concerning the detailed dental care practices of individuals with dental anxiety. Therefore, this study aims to explore how dental anxiety influences dental care habits and oral-health-related quality of life within an adult population. By utilizing the Dental Anxiety Scale (DAS) and the German Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-G5), we assessed their extent. To evaluate the differences, we performed analyses of variance (Anova), an independent t-test, and rank correlation.

The findings of this study unveil a significant correlation between elevated DAS scores and reduced frequency of tooth brushing, calculus removal, and appointments for professional teeth cleaning. Interestingly, the use of dental floss and mouthwash solution as well as toothbrush hardness appeared to be not significantly affected by dental fear. Moreover, individuals with dental anxiety demonstrated a preference for manual toothbrushes over electric ones. In addition, higher DAS scores were found to be strongly associated with greater OHIP-G5 scores, thus leading to a substantial decline in overall oral health-related quality of life.

Reference

Winkler CH, Bjelopavlovic M, Lehmann KM, Petrowski K, Irmscher L, Berth H. Impact of Dental Anxiety on Dental Care Routine and Oral-Health-Related Quality of Life in a German Adult Population—A Cross-Sectional Study. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2023; 12(16):5291. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12165291

Keywords

• Dental
• Anxiety
• Associated
• Decline
• Overall
• Oral
• Health-related
• Quality of life
• Winkler CH
• Bjelopavlovic M
• Lehmann KM
• Petrowski K
• Irmscher L
• Berth H
• Journal of Clinical Medicine
• Dental anxiety
• Dental care
• Dental anxiety score
• Oral health impact profile
• Oral health