<p>When the fear of dentist is relevant for more than one’s oral health. A structural equation model of dental fear, self-esteem, oral-health-related well-being, and general well-being</p>

Abstract

Purpose To develop and test a complex model that captures the individuals’ general well-being and the specific oral-health-related well-being. We were specifically interested, as a specific research question, if self-esteem, dental fear, and the oral health-related well-being are credible predictors for the general well-being. Patients and methods A one-time associative research design measured dental-specific anxiety, self-esteem, oral-health-related specific well-being, and general well-being in 281 participants, 3rd and 6th year dental students ( M Age =22.59 years, SD Age =3.13; 55% females), which completed a battery of relevant questionnaires: the Dental Fear Survey, the Rosenberg Self-Image Scale, the short form of Oral Health Impact Profile, and the Flourishing Scale. The data were subject to structural equation modeling in order to validate potential pathways of influence hypothesized based on previous evidence from the literature. Results We developed and tested a complex structural equations model, in which dental fear influences both the specific oral-health-related well-being and the persons’ self-esteem. In turn, self-esteem mediates the influence pathways between dental fear and oral-health-specific well-being, on the one hand, and the overall well-being, on the other hand. Conclusion Our research contributes directly to strengthening the theoretical basis for future interdisciplinary research, by providing, first, a tested and replicable model that surpasses the simple correlation or prediction, and second, empirical evidence for the significant mutual interdependence between psychological experiences, eg, self-esteem, and the two main aspects of well-being, ie, specific and general. From a practical, clinical viewpoint, our research provides further insights and justification for the importance of educating the patient, on all levels, from the individual clinical practice to community programs and public oral health policies, with respect to the importance of oral health.

The relationship between dental anxiety and other kinds of anxiety: a naturalistic, cross-sectional and comparative study

“…In multivariate regression models, few variables showed an independent association with each assessed kind of anxiety; especially for dental anxiety, there was no association between it and the other kinds of anxiety. Loneliness and self-efficacy were the best predictors for anxiety, whereas neuroticism showed no association (with the exception of dental anxiety), contrary to results of bivariate correlations reported in other investigations [ 44 ]. These results could indicate that in fact dental fear is independent of biographical stress and rather dependent on emotional lability and conditioned by negative circumstances in dental treatment, as assumed in the literature.…”

Aspirations and Worries: The Role of Parental Intrinsic Motivation in Establishing Oral Health Practices for Indigenous Children

“…For parents in this project, dental fear was a motivator in terms of early exposure to dental services for children, in attempt to increase comfort and avoid experiences of fear. The relationships between poor oral health, quality of life, and self-esteem are evident in the literature [ 68 , 69 ]. In Australia, psychological distress has previously been associated with poor self-rated oral health for Indigenous peoples [ 70 ].…”

Técnicas de manejo em Odontopediatria: uma revisão narrativa da literatura

“…Outro ponto importante a ser abordado é prática da promoção do cuidado dentário, pois, uma vez que os pacientes comecem a associar, desde de cedo, a figura do cirurgião-dentista aos conceitos de saúde, bem estar, prevenção de doenças e autocuidado, certamente haverá uma maior procura desses profissionais. Isso permitirá a prevenção de agravos que demandam procedimentos odontológicos mais dolorosos e traumatizantes (Vigu & Stanciu, 2019). Dessa forma, destaca-se a necessidade de que os cirurgiões dentistas assumam o papel de promotores de saúde, na medida que atuem evitando o desenvolvimento de doenças e não apenas tratando-as (Aljafari, Rice, Elizabeth Gallagher & Therese Hosey, 2015).…”