Journal of Oral Hygiene & Health
Open Access

Dental anxiety; Management; Non-pharmacological; Review; Treatment

Introduction

Extreme anxiousness related to the idea of getting dental work done at the dentist is known as dental anxiety. It is essentially a dread, tension, or panic brought on by any oral environment. An increased heart rate, perspiration, a queasy stomach, and a general sense of dread about visiting the dentist are all signs of dental anxiety. This dread, often known as dental phobia, can be brought on by drills, needles, or even just the idea of visiting the dentist. Many worried patients blame their dread of the dentist on prior bad experiences, frequently from their early years. Ask inquiries regarding the dentist’s attitude to people with dental anxiety when looking for the ideal dental practise for you [6].

Anxious patients who have dental fear may experience physical, emotional, cognitive, and behavioural reactions. If this is left unattended, the patient could find any justification to skip a dentist appointment while vowing to reschedule. The better (at least in their own eyes) the longer they can put off going to the dentist. No matter how simple or tough the dental procedure, they’ll probably find it challenging. Even a basic dental cleaning is probably going to cause them a lot of anxiety [7].

Anxious dental patients could go through:

➢ Sweating Tachycardia, or rapid heartbeat, or palpitations

➢ Low blood pressure and a potential for syncope

➢ Higher blood pressure

➢ Stomach ache

➢ Visible discomfort, sobbing, or panicky behaviours

➢ Withdrawal

➢ Using violence or humour to disguise anxiety

Discussion

An unpleasant emotional state of dread or worry in advance of the feared stimulation of dental care is what is referred to as dental anxiety. It has been discovered that dental anxiety is a major factor in patients putting off getting dental care. Researchers have detailed the cycle of dental avoidance, in which people with dental anxiety put off going to the dentist and allow their oral health problems to get worse as a result. Up until the onset of pain or intolerable symptoms that prompt the patient to seek treatment, people with poor oral health experience embarrassment and avoid the dentist. This behaviour pattern increases emotions of dental anxiety and fear of getting dental work done. Approximately one in six Australian adults have high dental phobia, a prevalence rate that is common to many Western nations worldwide [8]. One in three people may experience considerable dental dread among particular subgroups of the population, such as middle-aged women. This community’s relatively high degree of dental anxiety can have a significant impact. First off, those who have a high level of dental anxiety are considerably more prone to put off or skip going to the dentist, and many anxious persons frequently reschedule or skip appointments. Second, children and adults who have a high level of dental anxiety may be challenging to treat, take more time, and exhibit behavioural issues that can lead to According to research, dealing with patients who have dental anxiety causes a lot of stress for many dentists. Finally, due of their avoidant habits, people with dental anxiety frequently have worse dental health. People who put off going to the dentist for a long time, even when they are in discomfort, may have substantial issues that call for more difficult and involved treatment. Patients may have misconceptions regarding treatment, such as what feelings to expect and how long treatment will last, which can be cleared up by educating patients about treatments. Having this knowledge also helps to make the procedure seem more predictable. Informational efficacy frequently depends on the kind of information offered, when it is given, and the preferences of the patients for information. There should be a differentiation between the kinds of information provided to patients. Patients are informed about the sensations they can anticipate (such as pressure and vibrations) as well as the steps that will be taken during the procedure (such as the administration of the local anaesthetic, placement of the rubber dam, and use of the hand pieces). Others might like a “play-by-play” explanation of the therapy as the appointment goes on. Some patients prefer to learn about the procedure generally at the beginning of the appointment. In order to offer the right quantity of information at the right time, dentists would be well served by asking patients what kind of information they would want to receive and when [9]. The debate that just came up shows that there are a variety of methods that may be used to treat dental anxiety and dread without the use of drugs. In a perfect world, these methods would be used in conjunction with a larger and more thorough approach to patient management rather than being implemented in a ‘cookbook’ fashion. Some dentists may discover that many patients with mild to moderate phobias can be successfully treated with good listening skills, empathy, cautious handling, and some fundamental non-pharmacological techniques like diversion or relaxation. Before they are ready to accept treatment and successfully return to receive treatment in the future, more scared people could need more time and effort, using different strategies [10].

Conclusion

The dental professional must ultimately decide which anxiety management techniques to study and put into practise. Such decisions should, however, always be founded on a comprehension of the specific patient, their specific history, concerns, and potential for change. In order to properly implement a phased treatment plan, it is necessary to first identify the patient’s worries and anxieties, then explore the causes of them, and then work with the patient to control their fears. While many of the methods and practises for managing anxiety discussed here have a solid evidence base, some have received either limited or inconsistent study support. Some dental treatments are based on stale research, while others are based on conclusions from studies conducted in other medical fields that may or may not apply to dentistry. A quantification of the magnitude of any benefit offered and additional scientific evaluation of a number of anxiety management techniques are both urgently needed. Naturally, it can also happen in a dental setting that what works for one patient may not work for another. When working with anxious people, flexibility is necessary because their particular backgrounds and worries may call for a customised management and therapy strategy.

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