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Background: Anxiety is common preceding tooth extraction; hence, it is crucial to identify patients with dental anxiety (DA) and to manage DA. This study assessed the level of DA and influencing factors in tooth extraction patients in a dental hospital in China and changes in their blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) during the tooth-extraction procedure., Methods: The study was a cohort study. The Dental Anxiety Scale (DAS) was used to assess the level of DA of 120 patients before tooth extraction. A Demographics and Oral Health Self-Assessment Form was used to assess factors influencing DA. The correlations of DAS scores with HR and BP were measured. The effects of local anesthesia and general anesthesia on HR and BP were also compared using a Datex-Ohmeda anesthesia monitor to detect HR and BP continuously before and after anesthesia. Independent sample t-tests, OLS multiple regression model and one-way analysis of variance were applied to analysis the results., Results: Based on the DAS score, 12.5% of the participants were identified as suffering from DA. DA was related to age, gender, and the self-assessment of oral health. The DAS score was correlated with increased BP (P < 0.05). BP showed an overall upward trend after local anesthesia, while it was generally stable after general anesthesia. The systolic BP at 4 and 5 min and the HR at 2 and 4 min increased remarkably (P < 0.05) after local anesthesia compared with those before anesthesia. The HR and BP of patients under local anesthesia were generally higher than those of patients under general anesthesia were during the operation., Conclusions: The prevalence of DA in adults was 12.5% in this study population. DA was related to gender, age, and the self-assessment of oral health. The score of DAS was correlated with BP. Compare to local anesthesia, general anesthesia can make the vital signs of tooth extraction patients more stable., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The purpose of this article is to investigate the association between the background characteristics of patients with severe fear of dental treatment who frequently avoid dental care and the degree of difficulty in treating them. At the time of initial presentation at a dental phobia clinic, each of 321 subjects was asked to complete the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Dental Anxiety Scale, and a health questionnaire related to phobic objects. Subjects who rejected oral examination with a dental mirror were categorized as being severely difficult to treat, whereas those who were able to undergo examination were categorized as being moderately difficult to treat. In the statistical analysis, assessment items that were correlated with difficulty to treat were designated as independent variables for a logistic regression analysis. In the logistic regression analysis, significant correlations were observed for gender (male > female with adjusted odds ratio, 4.121; 95% CI, 1.96-8.65) and level of trait anxiety (2.401; 1.01-5.73). Male gender and a high trait anxiety were identified as major factors associated with severe dental fear and avoidance.

Objective: This study aims to understand the current status and analyze the influencing factors of tooth extraction anxiety of dental patients., Methods: The General Factor Questionnaire and Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS) were used to survey and analyze tooth extraction anxiety of 800 dental patients. Single-factor and multi-factor analyses were used for statistical data analysis., Results: A total of 768 qualified questionnaires were received out of 800, the efficiency was 96%. The mean MDAS score was 10.21±3.29. The prevalence percentage of dental anxiety was 14.7%. Significant statistical differences of the incidence of dental anxiety were observed with regard to sex, age, tooth extraction time, accompanying relatives and friends, before tooth extraction, tooth extraction experience for family and friends, pain tolerance, mental health state before tooth extraction, and self-reported oral health status (P<0.05. By contrast, no significant statistical differences in the incidence of dental anxiety were observed with regard to educational level, tooth extraction type, national life experience, profession, and personality (P>0.05). Logistic regression analysis indicated that the risk factors of dental anxiety were sex, accompanying relatives and friends, mental health state before tooth extraction, and self-rated oral health status., Conclusions: The prevalence percentage of tooth extraction anxiety is high for dental patients. Gender, age, health satisfaction, tooth extraction time, accompanying relatives and friends, before tooth extraction, tooth extraction experience for family and friends, pain tolerance, mental health state before tooth extraction, and self-reported oral health status are the influencing factors of dental anxiety.

Background: This study was aimed to investigate the prevalence of dental anxiety in a population of patients with Borderline Intellectual Functioning (BIF) and patients with mild and moderate intellectual disability (ID), and how dental anxiety correlated with their age and gender., Methods: The sample was made of 700 patients, 287 females and 413 males, 6-to-47 years old, either with borderline intellectual functioning or mild/moderate intellectual disabilities. All patients were administered the Dental Anxiety Scale to assess their level of dental anxiety., Results: Moderate Anxiety was the most prevalent dental anxiety category for patients with intellectual borderline functioning (15.56 %) and mild intellectual disabilities(18.79 %), while Severe Anxiety was the most prevalent category for patients with moderate intellectual disabilities(21 %). Overall, a statistically significant difference (p < 0.001) between the three groups (BIF, Mild-ID and Moderate-ID) was found. Also, the correlation analysis between participants' age and dental anxiety was statistically significant (p < 0.001); indeed, dental anxiety turned out to decrease with the increasing of the age. Moreover, the analysis between gender and dental anxiety was found to be significant as well (p < 0.001), where higher prevalence of dental anxiety was found in females., Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first study on dental anxiety carried out in the field of intellectual disability. Results show that the higher the level of intellectual disability - and consequently the lower the cognitive functioning - the higher the percentage and the severity of dental anxiety.

Background and Objectives: Dental anxiety (DA) and gagging (GAG) are prevalent problems that severely impact social behavior and quality of life. Furthermore, because dental phobia is considered a Blood-Injection-Injury (B-I-I) phobia, the present study contrasted DA, GAG and control subjects regarding the severity of dental anxiety and investigated the comorbidity of GAG, DA and B-I-I fears., Methods: Demographics, Verbal Pain Scale (VPS), Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14), Decay, Missing and Filled Teeth (DMFT), Dental Anxiety Scale (DAS) and response to phobic stimuli were collected from 53 GAG, 68 DA and 80 control subjects., Results: GAGs exhibited results between DA and controls regarding the likelihood to have high-anxiety/phobia (DA group: OR=55.56; GAG group: OR=17.24), self-assessed dental anxiety (OR=29.14; OR=17.48), fear of dental injections (OR=8.51; OR=2.91) and dental drills (OR=12.02; OR=5.82). DA and GAG had similar results regarding: DAS score (p=0.13), fear of blood tests (OR=4.68; OR=4.09) and blood donations (OR=3.13; OR=3.10). Overlap between GAG, DA and a B-I-I fear was observed. GAG and DA patients and worse maximal VPS and OHIP-14 scores retained their significant positive association with the DAS score in the multivariate analysis., Conclusions: The co-occurrence of DA, GAG and B-I-I-related fears suggests these entities are linked. However, different anxiety levels, symptoms and triggers, reflect the broad spectrum of fear of medical/dental situations., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Abstract Background Anxiety is common preceding tooth extraction; hence, it is crucial to identify patients with dental anxiety (DA) and to manage DA. This study assessed the level of DA and influencing factors in tooth extraction patients in a dental hospital in China and changes in their blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) during the tooth-extraction procedure. Methods The study was a cohort study. The Dental Anxiety Scale (DAS) was used to assess the level of DA of 120 patients before tooth extraction. A Demographics and Oral Health Self-Assessment Form was used to assess factors influencing DA. The correlations of DAS scores with HR and BP were measured. The effects of local anesthesia and general anesthesia on HR and BP were also compared using a Datex-Ohmeda anesthesia monitor to detect HR and BP continuously before and after anesthesia. Independent sample t-tests, OLS multiple regression model and one-way analysis of variance were applied to analysis the results. Results Based on the DAS score, 12.5% of the participants were identified as suffering from DA. DA was related to age, gender, and the self-assessment of oral health. The DAS score was correlated with increased BP (P

Dental anxiety refers to the unique tension, worry and even fear of dental treatment, which may lead to patients refusing to receive treatment and missing the best time for treatment. With the development of bio-psycho-social medical models, psychotherapy has gradually become the optimal treatment for dental anxiety. This article reviewed the etiology, evaluation and psychotherapy of dental anxiety. Research has shown that uncomfortable dental treatment experience is the main cause of dental anxiety, which is commonly assessed using questionnaires in clinical practice. Psychotherapy for dental anxiety is a noninvasive, widely applicable treatment without side effects, mainly including improving the treatment environment and service attitude, behavior therapy, and cognitive therapy, which has been shown to effectively alleviate dental anxiety in patients. However, psychotherapy for dental anxiety is highly demanding for dentists, which hinders its promotion and application. At the same time, the psychotherapeutic mechanism of dental anxiety is not clear and remains to be further elucidated by large-scale and high-quality randomized controlled studies.

Aim: This study aims to determine the anxiety levels of orthodontic patients related to the coronavirus pandemic and to evaluate the effects of quarantine on orthodontic appointments and orthodontic treatment. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted as an online survey with the participation of patients who were actively receiving orthodontic treatment. A total of 281 orthodontic patients (191 [67.97%] females and 90 [32.03%] males) participated in the survey. The questionnaire consisted of five sections that included questions about demographics, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the patients' orthodontic status. Anxiety levels were measured using Turkish versions of the Beck Anxiety Inventory and the Corah's Dental Anxiety Scale. Descriptive statistics, the Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Shapiro-Wilk normality tests, the Pearson correlation test, and the Mann Whitney U test were used for statistical analysis. Results: Regarding patients' perceptions of the pandemic, 251 patients (89.32%) reported that they were sufficiently informed about COVID-19. The main concern about the effects of quarantine on orthodontic treatment was the delay of orthodontic treatment at a rate of 58.36% (164/281). This study found that 36% (103/281) of the participants exhibited anxiety symptoms. The prevalence of dental anxiety specifically was 33% (95/281). Our study results reveal a significant relationship between dental anxiety and general anxiety, which indicates that dentally anxious people tend to also be generally anxious. Females had significantly higher anxiety levels than males (p <0.001). Conclusion: The coronavirus pandemic and quarantine seem to impact orthodontic patients' anxiety. Delay of treatment was the primary concern of patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Female patients were more anxious than males. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dental anxiety is a very important factor affecting the efficacy of prevention, diagnosis and treatment of dental diseases, both in patients in the developmental age and in young adults. Anxiety is considered an emotional state with negative connotations. The aim of the study was to determine the level of dental anxiety in first year university students, the intent being to help to develop an individual treatment plan in this group of patients. The study involved 280 students including 230 females and 50 males. Of these, 122 patients were from the Medical University of Lublin, 79 from University of Life Sciences and 79 from University of Maria Curie-Skłodowska. The mean age of the study subjects was 21 years and 8 months ± 3,9 months. No differences in the level of dental anxiety between women and men were observed. The highest level of dental anxiety was observed among students of University of Life Sciences, while the lowest level was observed among students of the Medical University

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Background: Dental anxiety is a condition that causes a decrease in population addressability to the dentist with adverse consequences for long-term oral health. Assessment of behavioral factors that correlate with dental anxiety is important for accurate evaluation of dental fear. Its diagnosis in childhood is important for establishing therapeutic management strategies to reduce anxiety and promote oral health. Objective: To determine the prevalence of dental anxiety in a group of Romanian schoolchildren, and assess its correlation with behavioral factors. Methods: This cross-sectional survey included a number of 650 schoolchildren attending public schools, randomly chosen. Data were collected from September 2013 to October 2013. 485 children aged 6- 12 years responded the questionnaires and were included in the study (248 female, 237 male). Each subject was asked to independently complete a questionnaire including Dental Anxiety Scale (DAS) and other questions about children behavior towards dental health education and practice. Children having a score of 13 and above were included in the anxious group while those scoring under 13 were placed in the non anxious group. The data collected was processed and analyzed using the SPSS statistical software. Results: The overall prevalence of dental anxiety was 22.68% amongst subjects included in the study. No significant differences in dental anxiety scores between boys and girls were found in this study. Dental anxiety scores decreased with increasing age. Dental anxiety correlated positively with chewing gum use and sweet consumption frequency and negatively with age and dental health education. Conclusions: Prevalence of dental anxiety in the 6-12 year old children of this study was 22.68%. Factors like chewing gum use, sweet consumption frequency, age and dental health education were correlated with dental anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dental fear, anxiety and phobia have consistently been reported as widespread problems that persist despite the technological advances that have made dentistry less painful and less uncomfortable. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of dental anxiety (DA) and its relation to age and sex among Coastal Andhra (Visakhapatnam) population. Materials and Methods: A randomized controlled study was designed among 340 individuals at GITAM Dental College and Hospital, Visakhapatnam. The sample for the study consisted of 180 female and 160 male subjects between 15 and 65 years of age; all were supplied with two questionnaires (Corah DA scale [CDAS] and Clarke and Rustvold dental concerns assessment scale describing anxiety provoking stimuli. The Mann-Whitney U-test and the Kruskal-Wallis test were applied (significance level P < 0.05). The correlations between the two questionnaires were calculated using the Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. Results: Two questionnaires were collected from all 340 individuals and the Indian translation of both instruments was found to be internally reliable with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.093. Overall prevalence of DA was high (77.4%) but severe (22.6%) anxiety (phobia) was low. Kruskal-Wallis test showed a significant relation between age and DA. The mean CDAS scores were high in 25-35 (11.08) and low in 55-65 (9.45) year age groups. Mann-Whitney U test showed significant relation between sex and DA. Mean CDAS score levels were significantly higher in females (10.88) than in males (9.96) (P < 0.0001). Conclusion: Patients anxious about dental procedures are often more difficult to treat. If Dentists become aware about the level of DA among their patients, they can anticipate patient's behavior and can be prepared to take behavioral/pharmacological measures to reduce anxiety levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study was to evaluate dental anxiety levels among undergraduate dental and medical students enrolled at Jazan University. Methods: Students enrolled in the second, third and fourth year of College of Dentistry and college of Medicine were included in the study. The five points modified Corah's Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS) was used as the questionnaire. Descriptive analysis was done as well as Fisher's Exact Test and the Independent-t test to compare the anxiety scores between groups. Results: Two hundred and thirty three completed questionnaires were included in the study. Results showed that students were anxious mostly about tooth drilling and local anesthetic injection. For total anxiety scores (TAS), 37% of respondents scored ≥15 (Highly anxious) and 10.6% scored ≥19 (phobic). The mean MDAS scores for males were comparatively higher than females. Males showed significantly higher anxiety levels for tooth drilling than females (P = 0.013). Conclusion: Lack of adequate oral health education might have resulted in a high level of dental anxiety among students in Jazan University. Studies are required to identify and correlate dental anxiety with gender, age, level of study, and different stream of study among university students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between dental anxiety, salivary cortisol, and salivary alpha amylase (sAA) levels. Furthermore, the aim was to look into individual differences such as age, race, gender, any existing pain, or traumatic dental experience and their effect on dental anxiety. This study followed a cross-sectional design and included a convenience sample of 46. Every patient was asked to complete the Dental Anxiety Scale (DAS) and a basic demographic/dental history questionnaire. A saliva sample, utilizing the method of passive drooling, was then collected in 2-mL cryovials. Samples were analyzed for salivary cortisol and sAA levels by Salimetrics. Significant associations were observed between DAS scores and presence of pain and history of traumatic dental experience. However, no significant correlations were observed between DAS, cortisol, and sAA levels. Our study reconfirms that dental anxiety is associated with presence of pain and a history of traumatic dental experience. On the other hand, our study was the first to our knowledge to test the correlation between the DAS and sAA; nevertheless, our results failed to show any significant correlation between dental anxiety, cortisol, and sAA levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pronounced dental anxiety could lead to avoidance strategies to evade dental visits. The aim of the present epidemiological study was to investigate the prevalence and related oral disease patterns of dental anxiety in young adult male soldiers. Therefore, the intensity and frequency of dental anxiety are presented and the correlation with oral clinical findings are evaluated. Three hundred seventy-four soldiers who underwent a compulsory dental check-up were randomly assigned to this study. Psychological parameters were collected based on a protocol integrating the Dental Anxiety Scale (DAS) and the Gatchell Fear Scale (GaFS). Patient-based measures included D3,4MF-scores for dental status and the Community Periodontal Index of Treatment Need (CPITN) for periodontal status. Thirty-two individuals (8·6%) showed DAS-scores of 13 or 14 (anxious), while 4·6% had a DAS-score ≥ 15 (highly anxious/phobic). Highest DAS-values were measured among patients’ aged 19–29 ( n = 262). DMFS-values of anxious and less anxious patients showed only minor differences. However, anxious patients had significantly more carious lesions ( P < 0·001). CPITN periodontal values showed no significant differences between both groups. 89·2% of less anxious individuals and 79·6% of anxious patients went for regular dental check-ups. Thus, every tenth patient was considered to have high dental anxiety. Anxiety results in avoidance behaviour, which can only be discovered upon compulsory examinations and which is associated with higher caries morbidity and need for oral rehabilitation. As anxiety has a direct influence on oral health, it should be detected and accounted for in a treatment concept integrating dental and cognitive-behavioural therapeutic approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the exception of studies of children, how dental anxiety changes with aging has not been the topic of research. Studies of non-patient populations have been cross-sectional in design and no truly longitudinal data have been reported. In this study, 272 adults aged 50 yr and over completed the Dental Anxiety Scale at baseline and at a 3-yr follow-up. The main finding was that DAS scores showed a high degree of stability in this group of subjects. At baseline the mean DAS score was 7.6 and at follow-up it was 7.4. The proportion classified as having high levels of anxiety declined marginally from 7.0% to 5.4%. While 9.0% of subjects showed changes in DAS scores of 4 or more, it is not certain that this represents real change or a degree of unreliability in the measure. The only subject characteristic associated with change in scores was gender. The mean scores for men decreased while the mean scores for Women increased. Overall, the magnitude of these changes was very small. However, for a minority of subjects more substantial changes were observed which may be clinically significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]