Assessment of Dental Anxiety and Hemodynamic Changes during Different Dental Procedures: A Report from Eastern Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Objectives This study aimed to investigate hemodynamic changes in healthy adult patients during different dental procedures and evaluate whether these changes were associated with patients' dental anxiety. Materials and Methods A convenience sample of 119 patients of both genders undergoing routine dental care participated in the study. Participants responded to the Arabic version of the modified dental anxiety scale (MDAS) and a self-structured questionnaire. Each patient had their blood pressure, heart rate, and oxygen saturation measured at three points: before, during, and after the dental procedure using an electronic sphygmomanometer. MDAS scores were categorized into no anxiety, mild, moderate or severe anxiety, while readings of heart rate and blood pressure were categorized into no change, increased or decreased and either “no change” or “increased” for oxygen saturation. Chi-square test was used to investigate the association between the study variables and a p value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. SPSS version 20 was used in the analysis. Results Mean ( ± standard deviation [SD]) of MDAS was 11.12 ( ± 3.9) an indicative of moderate dental anxiety. No changes in blood pressure, heart rate, or in oxygen saturation were observed on 39.5%, 54.6% and 97.5% among the study participants, respectively. Half of the participants avoided dental care, with dental anxiety being the main reason for that (26.1%). Pattern of dental visits was significantly associated with MDAS scores (p = 0.042). There were significant changes in blood pressure (p = 0.0003), heart rate (p = 0.01) but not in oxygen saturation (p = 0.33). Changes in blood pressure, heart rate, and oxygen saturation were not associated with dental anxiety p = 0.15, 0.10, and 0.99, respectively. Conclusion The results of this study indicate that the type of dental procedure may cause dental anxiety and cause hemodynamic changes. Therefore, close monitoring of patients with dental anxiety during the treatment is advised.

Prevalence and Socio-Demographic Correlates of Dental Anxiety among a Group of Adult Patients Attending Dental Outpatient Clinics: A Study from UAE

“…The lack of statistical significance in the other comparisons may indicate that these dental characteristics are not major predictors of anxiety in the study population. These findings are consistent with a previous study that found patients who have visited a dentist before have less anxiety than those who have not and that those who have had a bad dental experience have higher levels of anxiety [ 32 ]. In contrast, other reports found no significant association between previous dental visits and dental anxiety [ 33 ].…”

“…However, the injection itself can be a significant source of anxiety for patients. The fear of needles and injections is common, and patients may worry about the pain and discomfort associated with the injection [ 32 ].…”

“…Several studies have shown that people in certain occupations may experience higher levels of dental anxiety than others. For example, healthcare workers, particularly those who work in hospitals, may have higher levels of dental anxiety due to their knowledge of the potential risks associated with dental procedures [ 32 ]. Similarly, individuals who work in public-facing roles, such as salespeople and teachers, may experience higher levels of dental anxiety due to concerns about their appearance and the impact of dental procedures on their professional image [ 29 ].…”

Assessment of patients’ dental anxiety levels in the context of infectious diseases: development and validation of Musa Kazim’s Dental Anxiety Scale (MK-DAS)

“…Therefore, instead of asking the question “How would you feel if you were to go to the dentist tomorrow?” the scale begins with the question “How do you feel when you embark on the journey of treatment?” Responses given in a more comfortable environment away from dental clinic settings and in different states of mind may differ from those given while sitting in the dentist’s chair [ 3 , 43 ]. According to a study by Alghareeb et al, 42.9% of participants showed very low levels of anxiety in response to the first question of the MDAS [ 44 ]. For example, individuals who complete the MDAS survey just before undergoing treatment may not respond to the first question in the same way as they would in the comfort of their own home.…”

“…Not only rotating instruments but also non-rotating and noiseless hand instruments can be among the causes of dental fear. According to literature [ 44 ], extraction is one of the most feared procedures and results in higher levels of dental anxiety compared to other procedures such as restoration, root canal treatment, and periodontal scaling. Therefore, a question has been prepared to measure the level of dental fear that may arise due to noiseless hand instruments.…”