Incidence of dental anxiety in young adults in relation to dental treatment experience

Citation
Wm. Thomson et al., Incidence of dental anxiety in young adults in relation to dental treatment experience, COMM DEN OR, 28(4), 2000, pp. 289-294
Citations number
24
Categorie Soggetti
Dentistry/Oral Surgery & Medicine
Journal title
COMMUNITY DENTISTRY AND ORAL EPIDEMIOLOGY
ISSN journal
03015661 → ACNP
Volume
28
Issue
4
Year of publication
2000
Pages
289 - 294
Database
ISI
SICI code
0301-5661(200008)28:4<289:IODAIY>2.0.ZU;2-E
Abstract
Objectives: To document the incidence of dental anxiety among individuals a ged 18 years at baseline and 26 years at follow-up, and to determine if den tal treatment experience continues to play a significant etiological role w ith respect to the onset of dental anxiety in young adults. Methods: Dental anxiety scale (DAS; Corah, 1969) scores at ages 15, 18 and 26 were obtaine d for Study members in the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study. Dental examinations were conducted, and sociodemographic and dental service-use data were collected using a self-report questionnaire. Using a case definition of a DAS score of 13 or more, age 18-26 incident cases wer e identified and their dental treatment experience and service-use characte ristics compared with the remainder. Results: DAS scores at 18 and 26 were available for 792 (80.8%) of the 980 26-year-old Study members. An increase in dental anxiety prevalence was observed over the eight-year period, with an annualized incidence of 2.1%. Fewer incident cases had visited a dentis t in the previous eight years, and there were no differences between incide nt cases and others in their eight-year DFS, FS or tooth-loss increments. A subgroup of "recurrent" cases was identified who were dentally anxious at 15 and 26 but not at 18, and their eight-year incidence of tooth loss due t o caries was substantially higher than non-cases. Conclusions: Aversive con ditioning experiences appear to be unrelated to the adult onset of dental a nxiety, and it may be that particular temperamental or psychological traits are associated with the condition.