Assessment of patient’s anxiety before, during, and after dental scaling procedure

Abstract

Background: Dental anxiety and fear describe the stress a subject experiences in a dental setting and is an important factor that prevents the subjects from seeking dental care leading to poor oral hygiene status among the population.Aim: In this study, we aimed to assess the anxiety level of subjects before, during, and after the scaling procedure.Materials and method: One hundred subjects visiting the outpatient Department of Periodontology, KIDS, Bhubaneswar, and indicated for ultrasonic scaling procedure, participated in the study. Anxiety levels before, during, and after the scaling procedure was assessed with a Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS) and an Anxiety Questionnaire consisting of fifteen questions. Statistical analysis: Statistical analysis of the study was done using SPSS software. Results: It was observed that only 2% and 3% of patients are extremely anxious about deciding to visit a dental clinic and about experiencing pain or bleeding during the procedure Conclusion: Assessing the subjects’ level of anxiety using a questionnaire before the procedure can lead to modification of the patient counseling, treatment plan as needed as well as the modifications in the ambiance of the dental clinic or hospital.