The Prevalence Of Dental Anxiety In Patients Before Dental Extraction

Dental anxiety, also called dental fear, means people show strains, tensions and even fear when seeking dental therapy. It can delay, avoid and even spoil necessary dental care, which not only do harm to patients' dental health, but also deteriorate dental-patient relationship. Dental anxiety has been an important problem thait hampers dental care service in common people of many countries. Therefore, it is worthy of research to determine the prevalence of dental anxiety. It can help us to learn the occurrence and development of dental anxiety, and to lay foundation for therapy of dental anxiety. Presently, dental anxiety has been searched rather profoundly abroad and also gradually domestically. But the prevalence of dental anxiety before tooth extraction has seldom been reported to date.In this study, the prevalence of dental anxiety in 300 dental patients before tooth extraction was determined by questionnaires investigation. Among them, a modified Children's Fear Survey Schedule-Dental Subscale (CFSS-DS) and a Venhamfs dtinical ratings of anxiety and cooperative behavior were used in 150 children patients ranging in age from 5 to 12 years olds. The former scale was answered by parents on behalf of their children, and the latter ratings was assessed by the author. A modified Corah Dental Anxiety Scale (DAS) and a modifiedState-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) were used in the other 150 dental patients aged above 12.The main results are as follows:First, Mean CFSS-DS scores were 16.39 (SD=4.90). CFSS-DS scores and clinical ratings of behavior of the children were significantly higher in the children whose oral hygiene condition, dental experience, tooth extraction experience, spirit status on that day and their mother's educational background were bad or low. A step regression analysis showed that oral hygiene condition had most significant differences in both of the two scales (PO.01). The correlation of the two scales was high (r=0.67).Second, Mean DAS scores were 9.39 (SD=2.64). 9.33% of all the patients had DAS scores>=13 indicating obvious dental anxiety. DAS scores and S-AI scores were significantly higher in such patients as: female, introverted individuals, who were to have impacted tooth extracted, who learned their relatives' painful tooth extraction experience or had it own, who had low extent of pain endurance and who were in low spirit status or in tense mood on that day. A step regression analysis showed that the last two factors had significant differences in both of the two scales (PO.01). The S-AI scores in high trait anxiety group were apparently higher than that in low trait anxiety group (PO.01). The correlation of DAS and S-AI was high (r=0.67).In conclusion, the prevalence of dental anxiety in dental patients before tooth extraction is extensive, and many factors are closely related to patients' anxiety level. It is helpful to medical personnel, especial for those of oral maxillofacial department, to give patients psychological guidance before extraction, and to take necessary measures to alleviate patients' anxiety level and to reduce the occurrence of dental anxiety. Thus dental diseases can be found and cured in their early stage, which will do good to patients' health.