Higher Levels Of Dental Anxiety Research Articles

The Parental Concern and Acceptance of Silver Diamine Fluoride Treatment in Preschool Children: A Cross Sectional Study

Abstract Aim: Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) is a minimally invasive treatment with proven efficacy for managing early childhood caries. However, the dark staining associated with SDF treatment remains a major concern that affects parental acceptance. This study examines the level of parental acceptance of SDF treatment for preschool children in Laos and explores associated factors such as parental anxiety, previous dental experience, and demographic data. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 324 parents of children aged 2–5 years enrolled in preschools in Vientiane Capital, Laos. Participants provided demographic information, details on their children’s dental history, and their own dental anxiety levels. Following a video demonstration of the effectiveness and application of SDF, parents completed a survey assessing their acceptance of and concerns about SDF using a 5-point Likert scale. Parental dental anxiety was measured with the modified dental anxiety scale. Data were analyzed using chi-square tests, independent t tests, and multiple logistic regression (P ≤ 0.05). Results: Eighty percent of the parents accepted SDF treatment for their children. Those highly concerned about SDF staining were significantly less likely to accept it as a treatment option (P < 0.01). Increased acceptance correlated with reduced concern about staining (95% confidence interval = 15.57–1095.88). Additionally, 84.9% of parents reported some level of dental anxiety, with older parents showing higher acceptance of SDF. Conclusions: Parents were highly receptive of the SDF treatment for their children’s primary dentition. Parents who were older tended to be less concerned about the staining, and those who had a high level of dental anxiety were more likely to accept SDF treatment.

Influence of Education on Dental Anxiety and Fear in Mental Disorders after Viewing a Molar Extraction in Three Types of Mental Disorder Compared to Persons with No Mental Disorder.

Objective: The goal of this study is to validate the psychometric properties of the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS) and the Dental Fear Scale (DFS) at three different times: seven days before, immediately after, and seven days after watching a video of surgical extraction of a lower third molar in a sample with four strata: anxiety disorder, adjustment disorder, mixed anxiety-depressive disorder, and no mental disorder ages 18-70 in a psychiatric clinic in Malaga. Methods: The Research Ethics Committee of the Virgen Macarena-Virgen del Rocío Hospitals approved the study. After being interviewed by a psychiatrist and subsequently completing the Hamilton Rating Scales for Anxiety and Depression, the participants were divided into 4 strata (60 persons in each). The influence of education level was then analyzed. Results: The scales demonstrated good psychometric properties, with higher MDAS and DFS scores for lower levels of education and mixed anxiety-depressive disorder. Conclusions: Patients who show higher levels of dental anxiety and dental fear will be those with lower education levels, as well as those who suffer from mixed anxiety-depressive disorder.

Dental Anxiety Among Students of the University of Rijeka, Croatia.

Dental anxiety is a common problem and a great challenge for many patients, but also for dentists - the treatment of anxious patients is considered to be one of the most stressful situations for dentists. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of dental anxiety among the students of the University of Rijeka and to detect possible differences in the level of anxiety among students of different study programs. This cross-sectional study included 290 students from different faculties of the University of Rijeka (Faculty of Law, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Dental Medicine), 73 (25.17%) male and 217 (74.83%) female students. The study was conducted online via The Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS) in 2020 and sampling was based on voluntary responses. The Student's t-test and ANOVA were used to compare differences in MDAS scores among students. There is a significant difference in dental anxiety levels between students from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences and Faculty of Dental Medicine (MDAS=11.32±4.11, MDAS=8.84±3.03, p=0.01), and also between students from the Faculty of Law and Faculty of Dental Medicine (MDAS=11.47±4.64, MDAS=8.84±3.03, p <0.01). This research showed that non-dental students have a higher level of dental anxiety than dental students. Sufficient knowledge of dental and oral health could potentially overcome dental fear and anxiety. Therefore, there is a need to provide additional dental education throughout the university curriculum.

Retrospective Study Regarding the Correlation between Dental Anxiety and Color Preferences in Children with Severe Early Childhood Caries.

Severe early childhood caries (S-ECC) is recognized as a significant chronic disease which affects the quality of life starting at very young ages and has a very rapid evolution towards pulp complication and loss of dental tissue. Children with a high caries index DMFT are more likely to develop high levels of dental anxiety, which will influence the degree of cooperation during dental procedures. Emotions play an important role in the psychosomatic development of children, and all the factors that contribute to the modeling of these emotional states must be known and taken into consideration. The aim of this study was to assess the association between dental anxiety in children with S-ECC and the color preferences for the components of the dental environment to reduce the levels of dental anxiety during medical visits. For this study, 91 children between 3 and 6 years of age diagnosed with S-ECC were selected from the Pediatric Dentistry Department of UMFST from Targu Mures and from a private dental office. The level of dental anxiety was determined by measuring the pulse rate, and a questionnaire was completed to establish the color preferences for the dental office environment and the dentist's attire. For this purpose, six different colors and their variants with three shades less intensity were chosen by using RGB (Red, Green, and Blue) identification codes for each color. The results showed that there was a statistically significant difference between the age of the subjects and dental anxiety levels, but there was no significant correlation between the DMFT score and dental anxiety. Also, the results showed that there was no significant difference between girls and boys when choosing the colors preferred by them for the dental office, but when comparing the colors that represented happiness, significant statistical difference was found between the girls' and boys' groups (p = 0.0039). For all the subjects, the colors associated with happiness were light yellow and pink, while the colors associated with anxiety were red and dark blue. The data obtained showed that dental anxiety is strongly influenced by age, and an important role in inducing positive emotions is played by the dental environment if dressed in specific colors in order to reduce dental anxiety and create familiar conditions, especially for young children with S-ECC.

Parental dental anxiety levels in pediatric dentistry

Background: Dental anxiety is defined as the apprehension and fear of terrible events occurring during dental treatment, coupled with a sense of losing control. There are numerous individual and environmental factors causing dental anxiety in children, with the most significant environmental factor being the family environment in which the child is raised. Purpose: To break a possible cycle of dental anxiety within families, it may be necessary to assess and particularly address the level of dental anxiety in parents, especially mothers. In eliminating dental anxiety, providing parents with information to reduce their dental worries and teaching them coping strategies will be a significant step in minimizing the impact of these anxieties on their children.Reviews: The fears related to dental treatments of parents and/or siblings can induce dental anxiety in children. Studies have found that children with odontophobic parents are more likely to develop odontophobia. Additionally, research results indicate that dental anxiety can be transmitted among family members through modeling.Conclusion: Our literature review indicates that dental anxiety is significantly widespread among both children and adults in society. The observation that children with parents who suffer from dental anxiety tend to have a higher level of dental anxiety themselves suggests that resolving this issue should begin with the parents.

Dental Anxiety Assessment through the Drawings of Children and Influence of Art Therapy.

Assessment of dental anxiety in children is difficult because of their immature cognitive and emotional development. Drawings are well well-established emotion assessment tool. These can be used as nonverbal methods of communication for expressing the children's anxiety and emotions. Art therapy utilizes creative therapy interventions to deal with children suffering from emotional problems. The aim of the study is (1) To assess the drawings of children for the presence of dental anxiety. (2) To study the effectiveness of art therapy on dental anxiety in children. One hundred and twenty children within the age group of 6-12 years were part of this study. The pretest assessment of dental anxiety was done using Frankl and Five facial anxiety scales. All the participants received local anesthesia during their first treatment session. At the end of the treatment session, all the participants were asked to draw a picture of their experience. The drawn figures were assessed by a psychologist. The children were allotted randomly into the study group (n = 60) and control group (n = 60). Art therapy was given to 60 children in the study group for three consecutive appointments. The posttest assessment of dental anxiety was done using Frankl and Five facial anxiety scales after completion of the entire dental treatment. The pretest scores revealed very high level of dental anxiety in 33 (55%) children in study group and 34 (56.67%) children in control group. The posttest scores of study group, who received the art therapy, revealed that 24 (40%) children had little anxiety and 32 (53.33%) children had some anxiety. Whereas in the control group, the posttest scores showed 20 (33.33%) children had high anxiety and 39 (65%) children had very high anxiety scores. There was a significant correlation between the objective score of dental anxiety and the subjective scores of CD: H. Drawings can be used as an assessment tool for the detection of dental anxiety and art therapy effectively reduces the anxiety in pediatric patients undergoing dental treatment.

Dental anxiety in Switzerland: trends in prevalence and associations with socioeconomic factors in 2010 and 2017.

Dental anxiety is a prevalent concern in Western societies, affecting a broad demographic from children to the elderly, and posing a challenge to the delivery of oral health care. The Swiss Dental Association (SSO) has been conducting national surveys since 1980, with additional questions since 2010, to better understand the Swiss population's perception of the dental profession. Their 2010 and 2017 surveys aimed to gain more insight into dental anxiety across Switzerland, and to relate their findings to various demographic and socio-economic factors. A total of 2240 participants (1129 in 2010 and 1111 in 2017), demographically representative of Switzerland's socioeconomic distribution, were surveyed, with an even gender distribution (49.7% male and 50.3% female, p=0.7656). The mean age of the cohort was 43.5 ±16.0 years. The prevalence of dental anxiety decreased from 2010 to 2017. In 2010, 21.3% (CI: 19.0-23.7) reported higher levels of dental anxiety, which decreased to 13.3% (CI: 11.4-15.4) in 2017. Women consistently reported higher levels of dental anxiety than men in both years (2010: p<0.0001, 2017: p=0.0003). Logistic regression analysis revealed that higher levels of education (p<0.0001), trust in the dentist (p=0.0005) and satisfaction with the dentist (p=0.0489) significantly predicted lower levels of dental anxiety. In conclusion, these results highlight an overall decrease in dental anxiety from 2010 to 2017, but particularly among highly educated individuals and participants expressing satisfaction and trust in their dentist. While women consistently reported higher levels of anxiety, the overall results suggest promising trends in perceptions of oral health in Switzerland.

Evaluation of Dental Anxiety Levels of the Oral and Dental Health Program Students

Objective: This study aimed to compare the dental anxiety levels of 1st and 2nd year oral and dental health program students.&#x0D; &#x0D; Method: A total of 91 students, 47 1st year and 44 2nd year students, studying in the oral and dental health programs were included in our study. The modified dental anxiety scale (MDAS), which consists of five questions frequently preferred for assessing dental anxiety and questionnaires containing demographic information, were distributed to the participants. The participants with an MDAS score of 19 and/or above were considered to have a high level of dental anxiety. Statistical analysis of the data obtained was performed using Student’s t-test and one-way analysis of variance.&#x0D; &#x0D; Results: In all questions, the 1st year students had higher MDAS scores, and in the third and fourth questions, a significant difference was found between the groups in terms of scores (p &lt; 0.05). The mean MDAS score obtained from the 1st year students (12.72 ± 4.72), was found to be significantly higher than the mean MDAS score obtained from the 2nd year students (10.29 ± 4.22) (p &lt; 0.05). &#x0D; &#x0D; Conclusion: As oral and dental health programs students’ level of knowledge about dental treatments increases, their dental anxiety decreases. In line with these data, dental anxiety levels can be reduced by increasing the level of education and dental knowledge of individuals.

Evaluation and comparison of anxiety levels after using Guided Imagery technique for relaxation and modified Guided Imagery-Hypnotherapy technique in 6 to 14 year-old children undergoing local anesthesia administration

Anxiety has been defined as a “vague, unpleasant feeling accompanied by a premonition that something undesirable is about to happen”. Dental anxiety is driven by a strong negative or unpleasant emotion towards a dental office or dental procedures. Children with a high level of dental anxiety are more resistant to treatment, and due to this avoidance in dental care can lead to needing more dental treatments. The quality of a treatment being carried out, as well as what materials that are to be used, is directly influenced by a child’s level of cooperation and ability to follow instructions. Behaviour management techniques play a major role during all paediatric treatment procedures, and it is the clinician who is responsible to properly and safely guide the child’s behaviour. Guided Imagery is a visual and sensory-based complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) technique. In hypnotherapy which is a type of mind-body intervention; increased suggestibility is used in the treatment of a medical or psychological disease or condition. Therefore, there is a need of a newer modality based on guided imagery and hypnotherapy to be used in as a whole or in tandem with other conventional behaviour management techniques. The aim of this study is to evaluate and compare anxiety levels after using Guided Imagery for relaxation and modified Guided Imagery-Hypnotherapy techniques in 6-14 year-old children undergoing local anesthesia administration.

Poor dental service utilization in those with clinically severe obesity: A neglected issue with solutions needed.

Data linking body mass index (BMI) and dental service utilization with oral and general health, quality of life, wellbeing, and mental health are lacking. Adult patients with clinically severe obesity attending a hospital-based obesity service in Greater Western Sydney were invited to participate in a cross-sectional survey that collected data on dental utilization and visiting patterns, dental anxiety, and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). General health data were obtained from participants' medical records. Of the 82 individuals who consented to participate, 81 (98.8%) completed the study questionnaire, and 74 (91.3%) answered additional screening questions related to their general wellbeing and mental health. Of the participants, 50 (61.7%) reported that their last dental visit was more than 1 year ago, 43 (53.1%) visited only as needed and 22 (27.2%) participants reported favourable dental visiting patterns. Twenty-four (29.6%) participants reported high levels of dental anxiety, and low levels of OHRQoL compared with national data. Screening questions suggested low general wellbeing and poor mental health in this patient cohort. Within this group, BMI was not significantly correlated with any of the variables of dental service utilization, dental anxiety, OHRQoL, wellbeing, or mental health (p > .05). There was a negative correlation between dental anxiety and dental utilization (p < .05). Patients with clinically severe obesity reported poor dental utilization, low OHRQoL, and high levels of dental anxiety. This study highlighted the frequency of medical complications, lack of wellbeing, and poor mental health, which were evident in this cohort and may complicate dental management.

Concurrent changes in dental anxiety and smoking in parents of the FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study.

We evaluated associations between changes in dental anxiety and tobacco use, adjusted for general anxiety and depressive symptoms. The FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study data, collected at gestational weeks 14 and 34 and at 3months postpartum, were used. Questionnaires included the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS), the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), and the anxiety subscale of the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL). Smoking was categorized as "stable non-smoking", "started smoking", "quit smoking", and "stable smoking". Changes in smoking and dental anxiety were evaluated "during pregnancy" (i.e., from gestational week 14 to gestational week 34) in 2442 women and 1346 men and "after pregnancy" (i.e., from gestational week 34 to 3 months postpartum) in 2008 women and 1095 men. Changes were evaluated in three smoking categories (stable non-smoking, fluctuating, and stable smoking), using data from all three time-points (1979 women and 1049 men). Modeling used repeated measures analysis of covariance. Stable smoking mothers had statistically significantly higher levels of dental anxiety (mean MDAS 12.3-12.6) than non-smoking mothers (mean MDAS 10.1-10.7) or mothers who smoked at some point during pregnancy (mean MDAS 10.8-11.5). A similar tendency was observed in fathers. However, no systematic change in dental anxiety by changes in smoking habits was observed. Those smoking during pregnancy and with high dental anxiety may need special support for smoking cessation.

Efficiency of ER:YAG laser therapy in combination with behaviour management technique in reducing anxiety among paediatric dental patients – a study protocol for a randomised clinical trial

IntroductionWhen providing dental care to children with a high level of dental anxiety, the range of approaches is divided into two sections: use of behaviour management techniques (BMTs) and application...

Associations between fear of COVID-19, dental anxiety, and psychological distress among Iranian adolescents

ObjectivesThe present study evaluated the association of fear of COVID-19 with dental anxiety, oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL), and psychological distress (depression, anxiety and stress), as well as exploring the mediating role of dental anxiety in the association of fear of COVID-19 with OHRQoL and psychological distress.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among adolescents in high schools of Qazvin city (Iran) from March-June 2021, recruited through a two-stage cluster sampling method. All the adolescents completed a self-administered survey assessing (i) fear of COVID-19, (ii) depression, anxiety and stress, (iii) OHRQoL, and (iv) dental anxiety. Structural equation modelling was used to evaluate all the hypothesised associations, and the model fit was estimated.ResultsA total of 2429 adolescents participated in the study. The conceptual model fitted the data well. Fear of COVID-19 had a direct effect on dental anxiety (B = 0.316; bias-corrected bootstrapping 95% CI = 0.282, 0.349), depression (B = 0.302; bias-corrected bootstrapping 95% CI = 0.259, 0.347), anxiety (B = 0.289; bias-corrected bootstrapping 95% CI = 0.246, 0.334), stress (B = 0.282; bias-corrected bootstrapping 95% CI = 0.237, 0.328), and OHRQoL (B = −0.354; bias-corrected bootstrapping 95% CI = −0.530, −0.183). Also, dental anxiety mediated the association of fear of COVID-19 with depression, anxiety stress, and OHRQoL.ConclusionsHigh levels of fear of COVID-19 were associated with high levels of dental anxiety and poorer OHRQoL. Moreover, fear of COVID-19 was positively associated with anxiety, depression and stress. Increased levels of dental anxiety were also associated with increased anxiety, stress, depression, and poorer OHRQoL.

Psycho-social correlates of dental anxiety and its association with caries experience in 12-16-year-old school going children in Southern India

Introduction: Dental anxiety causes a decrease in population addressability to the dentist with antagonistic consequences for long-term oral health. Assessment of behavioural factors that correlate with dental anxiety is important for the accurate evaluation of dental fear. Its diagnosis in childhood is important for establishing therapeutic management strategies to reduce anxiety and promote oral health. Materials and Methods: A sample of 289 children of ninth and tenth grades from two public and two private schools of Udupi town was drawn. Two-stage sampling was used for the enrolment of students. A pre-tested self-administered questionnaire was used for the collection of data on psychological aspects, socioeconomic background and health behaviours. Dental anxiety was assessed using a translated version of the modified dental anxiety scale (MDAS). Oral examination was done for the assessment of dental caries using the decayed, missing, filled teeth index. Results: Students from public schools showed a significantly high prevalence of dental anxiety and also higher scores. Dental phobia was significantly more in children from public schools. Female gender, lesser brushing frequency, fewer previous dental visits and lower socioeconomic status were significantly associated with higher dental anxiety levels. In addition, the caries experience was significantly higher in children from public schools. Conclusion: Socioeconomic background and social environment in the school play an important role in overcoming dental anxiety and practising healthy behaviour and therefore should be considered to break the vicious cycle of dental anxiety and poor dental health.

The Relationship of Dental Anxiety, Behaviour, Temperament and Dental Caries in Children

The first dental examination is a major step that is affected by many factors and determines the dental treatment process. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the association of child temperament with child dental anxiety, parental dental anxiety, dental behaviour and dental caries. The study consisted of 100 children aged 3 to 6 who were attending their first dental examination and their accompanying parents. The Facial Image Scale (FIS), Frankl’s Behaviour Scale (FBS), Corah’s Dental Anxiety Scale (CDAS) and the Short Temperament Scale for Children (STSC) were used for assessment. The DMFT (decayed, missing and filled teeth) score of each child was recorded. Children who exhibited negative behaviour on the FBS had the highest rhythmicity scores (p = 0.008). The mean DMFT score of children in the rhythmicity temperamental dimension was relatively high (p = 0.008). The parents of children defined as negative on the FBS had high dental anxiety levels on CDAS (p &lt; 0.001). Children whose parents had higher dental anxiety levels showed higher dental anxiety (p = 0.007). The success rate of dental treatment procedures may be increased by improving dentists’ knowledge of dental anxiety related to the child’s temperament and integrating parental support to reduce dental anxiety.

Q-EEG map of parietal and frontal lobes out of brain waves recording during dental hypnosis practice

Introduction: A patient with fear and anxiety is a common case to deal with for a dentist, therefore, dental hypnosis has been widely used to ease this situation. In a hypnotized state, the human brain may easily accept any suggestion. This is projected in the brain waves. Electroencephalograph (EEG) is a brain wave recording device, reflecting several states of consciousness. Beta for conscious, alpha and theta for subconscious, and delta for sleep. Dental hypnosis puts down beta waves to alpha or theta. Quantitative Electroencephalography (Q-EEG) or brain mapping is a comprehensive analysis of (Electroencephalography, EEG) in a colored topographic map, reflecting the brain's electrical activity. The objective of this article was reporting the parietal and frontal lobes activity during dental hypnosis based on the Q-EEG mapping. Methods: The research applied a quantitative research method using observatory study. The sample was taken with an accidental sampling method, with inclusion criteria, patients with dental anxiety and exclusion criteria was patients with special need and high level of dental anxiety. Data of the EEG records was taken in January-March 2018, and processed after in Pramita laboratorium Bandung. Results: Parietal lobe affected more during the inducement than temporal lobe. During dental hypnosis, the hypnotic markers (theta and alpha states) observed from the EEG were found to be more reactive. Conclusion: Dental hypnosis effects can be observed easily using Quantitative Electroencephalography method. Dental hypnosis affects brainwaves and brain mapping which indicate relaxations of brain waves especially on parietal lobes.

Psychometric Testing of the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale among Iranian Adolescents during COVID-19 Pandemic.

(1) Background: The present study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the Persian adaptation of the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS) in Iranian adolescents. (2) Methods: Adolescents with a mean age of 15.10 (n = 3197; 47.1% males) were recruited from Qazvin city of Iran using a stratified cluster random sampling technique. All children completed the five-item Persian MDAS and information related to background characteristics. Psychometric testing was conducted using classical test theory (CTT) and Rasch models. For CTT, an item-total correlation of >0.4 was considered satisfactory while for Rasch analysis, infit and outfit mean squares (Mnsq) ranging from 0.5–1.5 were considered satisfactory. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was conducted to confirm the unidimensional structure of MDAS using various fit indices. Differential item functioning (DIF) was evaluated based on gender and time since last dental visit. Moreover, latent class analysis (LCA) was used to classify the participants into different levels of dental fear based on their pattern of responses. Both item level reliability using Cronbachs alpha (α) and test-reliability using intraclass correlation coefficients were evaluated. (3) Results: Item-total correlations ranged from 0.69–0.78, infit MnSq ranged from 0.80 to 1.11 and the range of outfit MnSq was 0.84–1.10. The data confirmed a one-factor structure of MDAS with satisfactory fit indices. DIF analysis indicated that the scale was interpreted similarly across the genders and time since dental visit groups. LCA analysis identified three levels, low, moderate and high levels of dental anxiety. The groups with moderate and high levels of dental anxiety had more females (44.6% and 36.7%) than the group with low level of dental anxiety (18.8%; p < 0.001). α of the total scale was 0.89 and item test-retest reliability ranged from 0.72–0.86. (4) Conclusions: The Persian MDAS was unidimensional with satisfactory psychometric properties evaluated using both CTT and Rasch analysis among Iranian adolescents. The scale was stable across the genders and individuals with different dental visiting patterns. The Persian MDAS also demonstrated excellent reliability.

Evaluation of the dental anxiety levels of patients applying to the faculty of dentistry during the COVID-19 pandemic

Aim: The purpose of this study is to determine the levels of dental anxiety in patients who applied to the Necmettin Erbakan University Faculty of Dentistry during the COVID-19 outbreak and to evaluate the relationships of their anxiety levels to age, gender, education level, and the frequency of visits to dentists.&#x0D; Methodology: There were 320 participants, including 163 females (50.9%) and 157 males (49.1%), aged from 18 to 65 years or older, who had applied to the Necmettin Erbakan University Faculty of Dentistry. The Corah Dental Anxiety Scale (CDAS) was used to determine the levels of dental anxiety (non-anxiety, little anxiety, anxiety, over anxiety, and excessive anxiety) and the anxiety groups (low or high). Descriptive statistics were presented in percentages. Data were analyzed using t-tests and one-way ANOVA and chi-square tests, at a significance level of p = 0.05.&#x0D; Results: Among the participants, 38.1% were at the non-anxiety level, 44.1% had very little anxiety, 10.9% had anxiety, 5% had over anxiety, and 1.9% had excessive anxiety. With regard to the anxiety groups, 82.5% were in the low anxiety group, and 17.5% were in the high anxiety group. Age, education level, and frequency of visiting the dentist were not found to have any effects on dental anxiety (p &gt; 0.05). However, the effect of gender with regard to dental anxiety was significant (p &lt; 0.05), as females had higher dental anxiety levels than males.&#x0D; Conclusion: While the effect of gender was found to be important in terms of dental anxiety, age, educational status, and the frequency of visiting the dentist did not have significant effects on dental anxiety. Females had higher dental anxiety scores and levels than males.&#x0D; &#x0D; How to cite this article: Tunçdemir AR, Büyükerkmen EB, Savaş A. Evaluation of the dental anxiety levels of patients applying to the faculty of dentistry during the Covıd-19 pandemic. Int Dent Res 2021;11(Suppl.1):238-244.&#x0D; https://doi.org/10.5577/intdentres.2021.vol11.suppl1.35&#x0D; &#x0D; Linguistic Revision: The English in this manuscript has been checked by at least two professional editors, both native speakers of English.

Impact of periodontitis on systemic anxiety and oral health quality of life

Aim : The aim of the present study was to measure dental anxiety levels and oral health-related qualities of life (OHRQoL) in patients with periodontitis compared to healthy controls and to analyze their association with various demographic, clinical and periodontal parameters. Methods : Fifty-five patients with periodontitis and 56 healthy controls were enrolled. Collected data included demographics, smoking habits, numerical rating scale (NRS), Corah’s Dental Anxiety Scale (DAS) and Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14), DMFT index (Decayed, Missing and Filled Teeth), Plaque Index (PI), probing depth (PD), bleeding on probing (BOP), and radiographic bone loss. Results : Periodontitis patients exhibited statistically significant higher scores in the total DAS and in almost of single DAS domains. Compared to the control group, periodontitis patients exhibited worse OHIP-14 global as well as in all individual OHIP-14 domains scores. Among both periodontitis and control patients, the physical pain domain was where the highest impact was recorded, while the lowest impact was recorded in the functional limitation domain. Conclusion : Periodontitis patients were positively associated with higher levels of dental anxiety and worse OHRQoL. Self-perception of dental anxiety and OHRQoL should be regarded as an integral element in routine diagnostic work-up process of periodontal diseases. This study showed that for a nationally representative sample of the southern Italian population population, periodontal disease was significantly associated with the domains of OHRQoL.

Strategies to Manage Dental Anxiety

Dental anxiety is a psychological and physiological response to an extreme fear of dental treatments, the use of clinical instruments, and even the general dental clinic atmosphere. It affects the oral health of patients as they miss or delay dental appointments, which can exacerbate diseases (Yildirim 2016; Mihaela, Lyndsay 2016). Hmud &amp; Walsh, 2007 demonstrates the same fact through statistical evidence, reporting a prevalence of between 5 and 20%, with a recent estimate of 6-15% globally, of patients who avoid dental care because of high levels of dental anxiety and dental phobia. It evokes physical, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral responses in an individual (Deva Priya, 2016). Moreover, patients with elevated anxiety have negative feelings and thoughts, sleep disturbance, increased use of medication, a greater tendency towards socialization, impaired social and occupational functioning relative to patients without dental anxiety (Gordona, Heimberga, Tellezb, &amp; Ismail, 2013).