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. 2021 Jun;13(Suppl 1):S735-S740.
doi: 10.4103/jpbs.JPBS_557_20. Epub 2021 Jun 5.

Assessment of Salivary Cortisol Concentrations as a Level of Stress Indicator among Individuals Undergoing Dental Extraction Procedure

Balakrishnan Thayumanavan  1 , C Krithika  2 , Khadijah Mohideen  1 , A V R Ranjalitha  3 , C M Sacred Twinkle  3 , C Pravda  4 , Swetha Prabhu  3
Affiliations

Assessment of Salivary Cortisol Concentrations as a Level of Stress Indicator among Individuals Undergoing Dental Extraction Procedure

Balakrishnan Thayumanavan et al. J Pharm Bioallied Sci. 2021 Jun.

Abstract

Background: Anxious patients tend to exaggerate the aversive events before the actual dental therapy. The anxiety and fear are the major factors that regulate cortisol levels.

Aim: Our study aims to estimate the salivary cortisol among patients subjected to dental extraction and correlate any existence between pre- and post-extraction cortisol levels and vital parameters compared to the control group.

Methodology: The study sample included sixty individuals, thirty patients indicated for a dental extraction, and thirty healthy patients between the ages of 18 and 60 years. We collected saliva samples from the control group and pre- and post-extraction samples from the study group participants and vital parameters. We used quantitative ELISA Kit, Diagnostics Biochem Canada Inc. (DBC), to estimate the salivary cortisol level. We evaluated the values using the Chi-square test, Pearson correlation test, and paired t-test using the JMP 15; JMP Pro, Version 15 (SAS) Microsoft® Windows® for × 64.

Results: The mean value of cortisol concentration of saliva was significantly greater in the preextraction group (6.13 ± 0.53 μg/dl) than after extraction group (3.17 ± 0.14 μg/dl) (P < 0.001). There were no significant associations between hemodynamic parameters and salivary cortisol concentration except for the postextraction systolic blood pressure (BP). A comparison of hemodynamic parameters between the study and control group revealed substantial differences in systolic BP.

Conclusion: The patient's anticipation and anxiety toward dental therapy elevate the cortisol level. Dental surgeons should treat the patients more conveniently and effectively without any strains and provide a comfortable atmosphere to avoid stress-related consequences.

Keywords: Dental extraction; salivary cortisol; stress fear.

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Conflict of interest statement

There are no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Mean values of the cortisol in the study and the control groups
Figure 2
Figure 2
Box and whisker plot and normal quantile plot for preextraction cortisol levels
Figure 3
Figure 3
Box and whisker plot and normal quantile plot for postextraction cortisol levels
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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