Over view and measurement of dental anxiety Flashcards
What are the GDC guidelines regarding dental anxiety?
Dentist have a duty to provide and patients have a right to expect adequate and appropriate pain and anxiety control
Give examples of pharmacological methods of pain and anxiety management
- LA
2. Conscious sedation techniques
Briefly talk through the dental anxiety cycle that patients may suffer from
- Patient feels fearful and is anxious
- This leads to them avoiding dental care
- Deterioration of dentition
- Feelings of guilt, shame and inferiority
What does trait anxiety refer to?
Refers to a persons inbuilt tendency to feeling anxious in their everyday life
What does state anxiety refer to?
State anxiety is more specific and related to certain objects of situations and seems not to occur outside of these
What is the difference between anxiety and fear?
Anxiety is a more emotional experience
What is a phobia?
Phobia is fear which completely overwhelms a person and has been defines as a psychiatric illness
Give some characteristic features of a phobia
- Fear of a situation that is out of all promotion to the danger
- Cannot be explained or reasoned away
- Largely beyond voluntary control
- Leads to avoidance of the feared situation
- Avoidance, distress and/or anticipatory anxiety interfere with life
How many people, according to the adult dental health surgery, are nervous of dental treatment
64% of dentate adults are somewhat or definitely nervous of dental treatment
How many people, according to the adult dental health surgery, are nervous of visiting the dentist
49%
State three factors that contribute to the aetiology of dental anxiety
- Biological factors
- Psychological factors
- Social factors
Give examples of biological factors that may cause dental anxiety
Possibly genetics (however a lot of debates surrounding this)
Which scientist argues that dental phobia is genetic and why?
Steven pinker argues that phobias are inbuilt and come from out evolutionary past
Give examples of social factors that may cause dental anxiety
- Children may pick up dental anxiety from their parents, siblings or friends
- Gender roles
- Social class
Is dental anxiety more apparent in men or women?
Women
43% women vs 55% men