Relationship between dental anxiety with dental caries and periodontal disease among army recruits in Bangalore city - A cross sectional study

Abstract

Introduction: Dental anxiety can affect the dental health status of an individual leading to avoidance behavior, poor oral hygiene and periodontal health and delay in seeking necessary treatment. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of dental anxiety in army recruits in Bangalore city and to explore the relationship of dental anxiety with dental caries and periodontal disease among army recruits in Bangalore city. Methodology: The total population of the army recruits in Army Service Corps Center and College was around 1000. General information included name, age, sex educational qualification, address, number of dental visits and age of first visit. The closed ended multiple-choice questionnaire consisting of 4 questions based on previous dental experience given by Corah was used to assess the anxiety level of the individual. Clinical examination of dental and periodontal health was noted using Decayed, Missing, Filled and Surface (DMFS) Index and Community Periodontal Index and Treatment Needs (CPITN) Index. Results: The mean Dental Anxiety Scale score was 9.64 with a standard deviation of 3.6. Of the 836 participants in the study, 444 (53.1%) reported no dental anxiety at all. Two hundred and sixty-three (31.5%) were moderately dental anxious (scoring 9–12), 10.4% were highly anxious (scoring 13–14) and 5% were severely anxious (scoring 15–20). Anxious individuals had poorer periodontal health necessitating treatment compared to nonanxious individuals. The mean DMFS of the study population was highest among those having high and severe dental anxiety (mean DMFS = 11.0 and 12.59, respectively) which was statistically significant (P < 0.001). Conclusion: The present study showed a prevalence of dental anxiety of 47%. Impact of dental anxiety on oral health was found to be obvious as higher DMFT/DMFS was evident among dentally anxious subjects; dental anxiety also showed a strong association with higher CPITN scores.

Association between Salivary Cortisol Levels, Dental Anxiety, and Dental Caries in Children: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…The findings revealed a significant relationship between increased dental anxiety and a higher prevalence of dental caries among the participants. This aligns with previous research indicating that higher levels of dental anxiety are often observed in individuals with a history of dental caries [ 20 ]. The link between dental anxiety and dental caries can be explained through several mechanisms.…”

“…In the present study the salivary cortisol levels was found to have a positive correlation with increased experience of dental caries (dmft/DMFT status) in children and the results were statistically significant ( Figure 1 ). The findings were similar to other studies which evaluated similar variables [ 14 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 ]. The increase in salivary cortisol levels with increased dental caries experience can be attributed to several factors.…”

“…Secondly, chronic inflammation and infection associated with dental caries can contribute to systemic inflammation and dysregulation of the HPA axis, resulting in elevated cortisol levels [ 19 ]. Additionally, the psychological impact of dental caries, such as anxiety and fear related to dental visits and treatment, can also contribute to increased cortisol production [ 20 ].…”