DT News - Nordic - Norwegian researchers confirm factors contributing to negative oral health-related quality of life

Anisha Hall Hoppe, Dental Tribune International

Fri. 23 December 2022

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ROGALAND, Norway: Norwegian researchers have found that dental treatment avoidance, increased levels of dental anxiety and general anxiety, and increased age had a negative association with oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). The team suggested that, in contrast to existing guidance on using exposure therapy to help patients, those with high levels of anxiety required more holistic anxiety treatment options, particularly when their dental anxiety was accompanied by general anxiety.

Patients with pronounced dental phobia and those who had been victims of abuse were recruited from a therapeutic dental service in Rogaland to be evaluated. Using questionnaires about their social, educational and dental histories, the team evaluated the levels of dental anxiety, general anxiety and OHRQoL for each patient.

The average patient age was 36 years, and more than two-thirds were women. The patients surveyed averaged 4.7 years since they had previously received dental treatment and 9.1 years since it was determined that they had fully restored dentition without further treatment of a specific issue.

Unsurprisingly, the patients noted that their oral health had a negative impact on their ability to show their teeth, enjoy food, smile, eat or laugh. The team unexpectedly found that it was general anxiety and not dental anxiety that had the strongest association with OHRQoL.

Citing other studies, the present study noted the value of the clinician’s attitude and appearance for high-anxiety patients. It also noted that the option to take an anti-anxiety medication was equally as useful as exposure therapy.

The study, titled “The complexity of dental anxiety and its association with oral health-related quality of life: An exploratory study”, was published online on 23 November 2022 in the European Journal of Oral Sciences, ahead of inclusion in an issue.