Signs, Symptoms, and Causes of Dental Fear
- Emotional response: fear, anxiety, apprehension, panic
- Physiological response: increased heart rate, breathlessness, sweating, nausea, shaking
- Cognitive response: feeling of swollen face, thoughts of choking or having a heart attack, fear of death, difficulty breathing
- Behavioural response: agitation, high vigilance
- Genetic, behavioural, and cognitive factors contribute to dental anxiety or phobia
- Conditioning: previous traumatic experiences with dental treatment
- Informative: negative information from elders, media, or friends
- Vicarious: acquiring fear through observing others' experiences
- Verbal threat: fear induced by authority figure's warning of painful experiences
- Parental modelling: significant relationship between parental and child dental fear
Diagnosis and Management of Dental Fear
- Dental fear survey (DFS), Modified child dental anxiety scale (MCDAS), Index of dental anxiety and fear (IDAF-4C+), Corahs dental anxiety scale, Spielberger State Trait Anxiety Index (STA) used for diagnosis
- Dental fear varies in severity and requires individualized management
- Short-term methods: hypnosis, general anesthesia
- Long-term methods: cognitive behavioral therapy, development of coping skills
- Short-term methods are ineffective for long-term treatment
- Psychological approaches are more effective in maintaining regular dental care
Impact of Dental Fear on Oral Health
- Dental fear leads to avoidance of dentist and neglect of oral health
- Neglected oral health can result in painful dental problems
- Emergency dental appointments can worsen dental phobia
- Dental fear can strain relationships and negatively impact employment
- Cycle of dental fear perpetuates the avoidance of dental visits
Psychocognitive Techniques for Managing Dental Fear
- Modelling as a form of psycho-behavioural therapy
- Tell-show-do technique for promoting a positive attitude towards dentistry
- Behavioural control and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) to decrease dental fear
- Creating a calming ambience in the dental practice to reduce anxiety
- Hypnosis, progressive muscle relaxation, and systematic desensitisation as relaxation techniques
Pharmacological Approaches for Managing Dental Fear
- Conscious sedation, nitrous oxide sedation, and general anesthesia as pharmacological techniques
- Medication works best in conjunction with non-pharmacological techniques
- Guidelines for premedication and use of sedatives in dental treatment
- Conscious sedation as a short-term solution for dental anxiety
- General anesthesia for dentistry should only be used when absolutely necessary and in a hospital setting
Prevalence and Impact of Dental Fear
- Dental fear is prevalent among children and adults
- Dental fear can lead to avoidance of dental care and poor oral health outcomes
- Relationship between parental and child dental fear
- Dental fear can have long-term consequences on patients' oral health
Management Strategies for Dental Fear
- Non-pharmacological interventions for managing dental anxiety in children
- Cognitive therapy, applied relaxation, and nitrous oxide sedation as effective treatments for dental fear
- Hypnosis and behavioral exposure as tools for managing dental anxiety
- Psychological treatment, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, for reducing dental anxiety among adults
Dental Fear in Primary Care and Dental Clinics
- Dental anxiety can be effectively managed by dentists in primary care settings
- Strategies to manage fear and anxiety among patients in dental clinics
- Avoiding unnecessary interventions in the management of dental anxiety
- Addressing dental fear in children with appropriate behavior management strategies
- Creating a supportive and calming environment for patients with dental fear in dental clinics
Resources and Tools for Dental Fear Management
- State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) for assessing anxiety levels in dental patients
- Resources on non-pharmacological behavior management provided by the Royal College of Surgeons
- Guidelines on conscious sedation in dental care from the British National Formulary (BNF)
- SDCEP Dental Prescribing app for assisting dental professionals in prescribing medications
- Research studies and literature reviews providing evidence-based strategies for managing dental anxiety
Dental fear, or dentophobia, is a normal emotional reaction to one or more specific threatening stimuli in the dental situation. However, dental anxiety is indicative of a state of apprehension that something dreadful is going to happen in relation to dental treatment, and it is usually coupled with a sense of losing control. Similarly, dental phobia denotes a severe type of dental anxiety, and is characterised by marked and persistent anxiety in relation to either clearly discernible situations or objects (e.g. drilling, local anaesthetic injections) or to the dental setting in general. The term ‘dental fear and anxiety’ (DFA) is often used to refer to strong negative feelings associated with dental treatment among children, adolescents and adults, whether or not the criteria for a diagnosis of dental phobia are met. Dental phobia can include fear of dental procedures, dental environment or setting, fear of dental instruments or fear of the dentist as a person. People with dental phobia often avoid the dentist and neglect oral health, which may lead to painful dental problems and ultimately force a visit to the dentist. The emergency nature of this appointment may serve to worsen the phobia. This phenomenon may also be called the cycle of dental fear. Dental anxiety typically starts in childhood. There is the potential for this to place strains on relationships and negatively impact on employment.
| Dental fear | |
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| Other names | Dental anxiety, dental phobia, odontophobia |
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| Cycle of dental fear | |
