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. 2014 Aug;5(4):219-32.
doi: 10.1016/j.phrp.2014.06.007. Epub 2014 Jul 1.

Dental Procedures, Oral Practices, and Associated Anxiety: A Study on Late-teenagers

Rahul Bhola  1 , Reema Malhotra  2
Affiliations

Dental Procedures, Oral Practices, and Associated Anxiety: A Study on Late-teenagers

Rahul Bhola et al. Osong Public Health Res Perspect. 2014 Aug.

Abstract

Objectives: The study aims to determine the degree of anxiety pertaining to dental procedures and various oral hygiene practices among college teenagers.

Methods: Corah's Modified Dental Anxiety Scale was administered on a randomly chosen sample of 100 Indian college students (50 males and 50 females) of Delhi University, belonging to the age group of 17-20 years.

Results: Descriptive statistical computations revealed 12.14 years as the mean age of first dental visit, with moderately high levels of anxiety (60.75%) for various dental procedures among the Indian teenagers and 5% lying in the "phobic or extremely anxious" category. With merely 4.16% people going for regular consultations, general check-ups evoked 78.3% anxiety and having an injection or a tooth removed was perceived as the most threatening. The sample subgroup not using mouthwash and mouthspray, smokers, and alcohol drinkers with improper oral hygiene practices experienced much higher anxiety towards routine dental procedures.

Conclusion: The majority of the Indian youngsters had an evasive attitude of delaying dental treatment. The core problems lay in deficient health care knowledge, lack of patient-sensitive pedagogy to train dental professionals, inaccessibility of services, and a dismissive attitude towards medical help. The feelings of fear and anxiety prevalent among the Indian youth offer significant insights into causes and preventive measures for future research and practice. Methods of education and motivation could be developed to dissipate the anxiety amongst Indian teenagers that prevent routine dental visits and maintenance of adequate oral hygiene.

Keywords: dental anxiety; fear; oral hygiene practices; phobia; scale.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Dental anxiety scales and their reported usage (in percent) according to a 2008 survey. Note. Adapted from Table 1 percentage usage, credited to JM Armfield, .
Figure 2
Figure 2
Mean percentage anxiety for two subtests of Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Item-wise anxiety scores on subtest one of Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Item-wise anxiety scores on subtest 2 of MDAS.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Frequency distribution of participants in different levels of anxiety.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Percentage frequency and percentage anxiety based on types of treatment for which adolescents approached the dentist in the past.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Dental anxiety as a measure of brushing habits of adolescents.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Dental anxiety as a measure of tongue-cleaning habits.
Figure 9
Figure 9
Dental anxiety as a measure of mouthwash usage.
Figure 10
Figure 10
Dental anxiety as a measure of use of mouthspray.
Figure 11
Figure 11
Dental anxiety as a measure of use of dental floss.
Figure 12
Figure 12
Dental anxiety as a measure of smoking habits of adolescents.
Figure 13
Figure 13
Dental anxiety as a measure of alcohol intake.
Figure 14
Figure 14
Dental anxiety as a measure of food habits.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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