The relationship between DMFT status and dental anxiety

Authors

Paolo Boffano, Division of Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital “Maggiore della Carità”, University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, ItalyFollow
Patrizia Zeppegno, Division of Psychiatry, University Hospital “Maggiore della Carità”, University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, ItalyFollow
Matteo Brucoli, Division of Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital “Maggiore della Carità”, University of Eastern Piedmont, Novara, ItalyFollow
Muhammad Ruslin, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dentistry, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, IndonesiaFollow

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to assess the anxiety trait, the anxiety state, the dental anxiety, as well as the oral health of a group of patients who were referred to a maxillofacial surgery department.

Material and Method: The study was conducted between 1 May 2019 and 31 May 2019. All patients were administered the anxiety-trait and anxiety state using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory questionnaires and Corah’s Dental Anxiety Scale. Then, they were clinically examined, and a DMFT index score was calculated according to the WHO criteria and recorded for each patient. Demographics, smoking, and alcohol habits were also recorded for each patient.

Result: Overall, 81 patients (52 females, 29 males) completed the study. Statistical analyses revealed a statistically significant association between occasional or daily smoking and high DMFT scores (p < 0.005). As for anxiety, a statistically significant association was observed between both high anxiety state and trait and high DMFT scores (p < 0.05), as well as between moderate or severe dental anxiety and high DMFT scores (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: A higher anxiety is associated with a higher DMFT score. The assessment of dental anxiety may be necessary for routine diagnostic work-ups during dental practice. In more severe cases, a multidisciplinary approach with the aid of behavioral health or psychological professionals may be a valid option.

Recommended Citation

Boffano, Paolo; Zeppegno, Patrizia; Brucoli, Matteo; and Ruslin, Muhammad (2024) "The relationship between DMFT status and dental anxiety," Journal of Dentomaxillofacial Science: Vol. 9: Iss. 1, Article 2.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15562/jdmfs.v9i1.1686
Available at: https://scholarhub.unhas.ac.id/jdmfs/vol9/iss1/2

Pages

18-21

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Rights

©2024Paolo Boffano, Patrizia Zeppegno, Matteo Brucoli, Muhammad Ruslin

DOI

10.15562/jdmfs.v9i1.1686