Impact of Sociodemographic and Dental Clinic Related Factors Causing Dental Anxiety in Patients: Factors Causing Dental Anxiety

Asad Ullah; Amna Nauman Khan; Nauman Rauf Khan; Waqas Mirza; Laiba Masood; Aneesa Mahreen

doi:10.54393/pjhs.v5i08.1701

Authors

Asad Ullah Department of General Dentistry, Dental Care Clinic, Lahore, Pakistan
Amna Nauman Khan Department of Community and Preventive Dentistry, Sharif Medical College and Dental College, Lahore, Pakistan
Nauman Rauf Khan Department of Oral Pathology, Sharif Medical College and Dental College, Lahore, Pakistan
Waqas Mirza Department of Oral Medicine, Sharif Medical College and Dental College, Lahore, Pakistan
Laiba Masood Department of College of Dentistry, Sharif Medical College and Dental College, Lahore, Pakistan
Aneesa Mahreen Department of Community and Preventive Dentistry, Sharif Medical College and Dental College, Lahore, Pakistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54393/pjhs.v5i08.1701

Keywords:

Norman Corah Dental Scale, Extraction, Dental Clinic, Sociodemographic Factors, Modified Norman Corah Dental Anxiety scale

Abstract

Dental anxiety has been reported to be impacted by an individual’s sociodemographic characteristics like age, gender, marital status and level of education. This anxiety can be attributed to the pain experienced during dental treatment. Objective: To evaluate the impact of sociodemographic and dental clinic related factors causing dental anxiety in patients. Methods: A descriptive cross sectional study was conducted on 196 patients in Sharif Medical and Dental College, Lahore. Those with any psychological, systemic disorders and on medications were excluded. Participants who underwent dental extraction irrespective of their age, marital status, gender and education were included. Modified Norman Corah Dental Anxiety scale was used as data collection tool. Chi square was used to find the association between sociodemographic factors and dental anxiety level. Results: The study was done on 196 participants with 49% females and 51% males. Most of the patients (64.3%) were below 35 years of age while 35.7% were above it. Majority of the patients suffered severe dental anxiety (38%) followed by high (22%), moderate (20.9%) and mild (18.4%). Significant associations between gender and anxiety while taking dentist`s appointment (p=0.048), being next in turn at the clinic (p=0.029), being on the way to clinic (p=0.023) were seen. Significant impact of marital status on anxiety caused in patients going to the clinic was seen (p=0.039). Age also significantly affected dental anxiety in patients undergoing dental extraction (p=0.017). Conclusions: Severe dental anxiety was higher in the older age group. The impact of sociodemographic factors on dental anxiety due to dental clinic related factors (getting an appointment, waiting for their turn in clinic and on their way to the dentist) showed males and those who were married generally had a relaxed state of mind.

References

Grisolia BM, Dos Santos AP, Dhyppolito IM, Buchanan H, Hill K, Oliveira BH. Prevalence of dental anxiety in children and adolescents globally: A systematic review with meta‐analyses. International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry. 2021 Mar; 31(2): 168-83. doi: 10.1111/ipd.12712. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/ipd.12712

de Oliveira Viana MÁ, Porto É, dos Santos Dantas L, Soares Forte FD, D'Ávila Lins Bezerra Cavalcanti S et al. Depression, Anxiety, and Stress in Dental Students and Associations with Sociodemographic Variables and the Academic Environment. Trends in Psychology. 2024 Jan: 1-9. doi: 10.1007/s43076-024-00359-2. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s43076-024-00359-2

Lu C, Zhang YY, Xiang B, Peng SM, Gu M, Wong HM. Management of fear and anxiety in dental treatments: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Odontology. 2023 Jan; 111(1): 20-32. doi: 10.1007/s10266-022-00711-x. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10266-022-00711-x

Muneer MU, Ismail F, Munir N, Shakoor A, Das G, Ahmed AR et al. Dental anxiety and influencing factors in adults. InHealthcare. 2022 Nov; 10(12): 2352. doi: 10.3390/healthcare10122352. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare10122352

Shacham M, Ben‐Ezra M, Hamama‐Raz Y, Palgi Y, Greenblatt‐Kimron L. Dental anxiety and ageing anxiety: Moderated mediation roles of Oral Health‐Related Quality of Life and subjective accelerated ageing. Journal of Oral Rehabilitation. 2023 Dec; 50(12): 1439-45. doi: 10.1111/joor.13569. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/joor.13569

Bano S, Ahmad SA, Vyas K. Exploring dental anxiety among male and female across adolescents, young adults, and middle adults. Journal of Dental Research and Review. 2021 Apr; 8(2): 107-112. doi: 10.4103/jdrr.jdrr_142_20

Saba Z and Katirci G. Relationship between dental anxiety levels and oral health among dental patients in Turkey: a cross-sectional study. BioMed Central Oral Health. 2023 May; 23(1): 328. doi: 10.1186/s12903-023-03041-8. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-023-03041-8

Sghaireen MG, Zwiri AM, Alzoubi IA, Qodceih SM, Al-Omiri MK. Anxiety due to dental treatment and procedures among university students and its correlation with their gender and field of study. International Journal of Dentistry. 2013; 2013(1): 647436. doi: 10.1155/2013/647436. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/647436

Ayata M and Eraslan R. The Effect Of The Education Levels Of Dental Students On Their Dental Anxiety. Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi. 2023; 32(1): 51-5. doi: 10.34108/eujhs.1090167. DOI: https://doi.org/10.34108/eujhs.1090167

Steinvik LM, Svartdal F, Johnsen JA. Delay of dental care: an exploratory study of procrastination, dental attendance, and self-reported oral health. Dentistry Journal. 2023 Feb; 11(2): 56. doi: 10.3390/dj11020056. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/dj11020056

Badran A, Keraa K, Farghaly MM. The impact of oral health literacy on dental anxiety and utilization of oral health services among dental patients: a cross sectional study. BioMed Central Oral Health. 2023 Mar; 23(1): 146. doi: 10.1186/s12903-023-02840-3. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-023-02840-3

Willumsen T, Agdal ML, Hauge MS, Storå B. Psychological prevention and management of dental anxiety. InOral Health Psychology: Psychological Aspects Related to Dentistry. 2022 Oct: 179-194. doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-04248-5_12. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-04248-5_12

Sivaramakrishnan G, Makki H, AlDallal S, Alaswad Z, Sultan E, Ahmed S et al. The variables associated with dental anxiety and their management in primary care dental clinics in Bahrain: a cross-sectional study. BioMed Central Oral Health. 2022 Apr; 22(1): 137. doi: 10.1186/s12903-022-02173-7. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12903-022-02173-7

Weisfeld CC, Turner JA, Dunleavy K, Ko A, Bowen JI, Roelk B et al. Dealing with anxious patients: a systematic review of the literature on nonpharmaceutical interventions to reduce anxiety in patients undergoing medical or dental procedures. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. 2021 Sep; 27(9): 717-26. doi: 10.1089/acm.2020.0504. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2020.0504

Alansaari AB, Tawfik A, Jaber MA, Khamis AH, Elameen EM. Prevalence and Socio-Demographic Correlates of Dental Anxiety among a Group of Adult Patients Attending Dental Outpatient Clinics: A Study from UAE. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2023 Jun; 20(12): 6118. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20126118. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20126118

Corah NL. Development of a dental anxiety scale. Journal of Dental Research. 1969 Jul; 48(4): 596-. doi: 10.1177/00220345690480041801. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/00220345690480041801

Silveira ER, Cademartori MG, Schuch HS, Armfield JA, Demarco FF. Estimated prevalence of dental fear in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Dentistry. 2021 May; 108: 103632. doi: 10.1016/j.jdent.2021.103632. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdent.2021.103632

Karukivi M, Suominen A, Scheinin NM, Li R, Ahrnberg H, Rantavuori K et al. Gender‐specific associations between the dimensions of alexithymia personality trait and dental anxiety in parents of the FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study. European Journal of Oral Sciences. 2022 Feb; 130(1): e12830. doi: 10.1111/eos.12830. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/eos.12830

Appukuttan D, Subramanian S, Tadepalli A, Damodaran LK. Dental anxiety among adults: an epidemiological study in South India. North American Journal of Medical Sciences. 2015 Jan; 7(1): 13. doi: 10.4103/1947-2714.150082. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4103/1947-2714.150082

Avramova NT. Dental Fear, Anxiety, and Phobia-Behavioral Management and Implications for Dentists. Journal of Mind and Medical Sciences. 2023 Apr; 10(1): 42-50. doi: 10.22543/2392-7674.1349. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22543/2392-7674.1349

Yap AU, Kwan YY, Kok L, Lee XF, Lee DZ. Dental environment and practitioner preferences of southeast Asian youths with dental fear/anxiety. International Journal of Dental Hygiene. 2022 Nov; 20(4): 671-7. doi: 10.1111/idh.12622. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/idh.12622