Associations between temperament dimensions and dental anxiety in parents of the FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study

The Relationship between Personality Trait and Dental Anxiety in Students of Health-Related Specialties: A Pilot Study

OBJECTIVES

 Dental anxiety is a common issue affecting a significant portion of the population, often leading to avoidance of dental care and subsequent oral health problems. Understanding the underlying factors contributing to dental anxiety is a crucial step toward developing an effective intervention. The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of dental anxiety among students of health-related majors, evaluate their personality traits, and find the correlation between them. Additionally, this study aims to find the predictors of such traits and their relationship with each other.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

 The study was conducted on 163 consented students (124 males and 39 females), selected based on major and year of study at the University of Sharjah medical campus. The questionnaire was sent online through Google Forms. It included questions from the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS)and the Big Five personality test. Data analysis was done using SPSS software (IBM Co. version 29) where all descriptive and inferential statistics were conducted with statistical significance set at p < 0.05.

RESULTS

 Moderate level of dental anxiety (12.3 ± 5.8) was observed among students of the medical campus, where nondental students scored higher in mean dental anxiety (13.0 ± 6.2) compared with dental students (10.4 ± 4.5). Males scored higher on the dental anxiety scale (12.5 ± 5.8) compared with females (11.7 ± 5.6). The Big Five personality test results displayed statistical significance association between neuroticism and dental anxiety, compared with other measured parameters (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

 Neuroticism (Big Five characteristics scoring) and dental anxiety (MDAS scoring) exhibit a significant correlation. The Big Five test's characteristics are interrelated, including neuroticism and conscientiousness which, in turn, had a substantial correlation with agreeableness. Subsequently, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and extraversion exhibit substantial correlations with openness. This dynamic between the traits indicates that the adoption of personality tests in dental clinics would lead to improved prediction and management of dental anxiety in health-related students.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

 Since dentistry relies on patient management to get the best results, understanding the relationship between personality factors and dental anxiety might enhance patient management. This would prevent health care neglect and undiagnosed oral problems.

Associations of sensory sensitivity, pain catastrophizing, and alexithymia with dental anxiety

We aimed to reveal interrelationships between alexithymia, catastrophic thinking, sensory processing patterns, and dental anxiety among 460 participants who were registrants of a Japanese research company. Measures used were the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale, the Adult Sensory Profile, the Pain Catastrophizing Scale, and the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale. The interrelationships among the constructs were analyzed using structural equation modeling, adjusting for age, gender, and negative dental treatment experience. Data from 428 participants were used in the analyses. Sensory sensitivity and pain catastrophizing were independently associated with anticipatory and treatment-related dental anxiety, while difficulty identifying feelings was not. In the mediation model, sensory sensitivity and pain catastrophizing served as full mediators between difficulty identifying feelings and the dimensions of dental anxiety (indirect effects were between 0.13 and 0.15). The strength of the associations was 0.55 from difficulty identifying feelings to both pain catastrophizing and sensory sensitivity, and between 0.24 and 0.26 to anticipatory and treatment-related dental anxiety. The association between trait-like phenomena, such as alexithymia, and dental anxiety may be mediated by neurophysiological and cognitive factors such as sensory sensitivity and pain catastrophizing. These findings could be crucial for new and innovative interventions for managing dental anxiety.

Autonomic Nervous System Activity and Dental Anxiety in the Northern Finland Birth Cohort (NFBC1966) Population

Autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity may be associated with dental anxiety; however, no studies exist on the topic. The aim of this study was to assess if ANS activity and dental anxiety are associated. Data were collected as part of a Northern Finland Birth Cohort Study, NFBC1966, at the age of 46 years with eligible data on 1905 participants. Dental anxiety was measured using the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS) categorized as follows: 19-25 = high, 10-18 = moderate, 5-9 = no to low dental anxiety. Heart rate variability (HRV) data were collected using an HR monitor and a standard lead-II electrocardiogram (ECG). Baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) was calculated from continuous ECG and blood pressure signals. Participants were categorized into three groups as follows: Low = the lowest 20th percentile, Mid = medium 21-79th percentile, and High = the highest 20th percentile according to their ANS variables. The associations between the MDAS and ANS activity parameters were evaluated using unordered multinomial logit models adjusted for comorbidities, β-blockers, BMI, smoking, and education. High heart rate, reduced HRV, low cardiac vagal modulation, and poor BRS were associated with moderate dental anxiety, and high cardiac vagal modulation and good BRS were associated with no to low dental anxiety. Poorer ANS activity might predispose some to dental anxiety, and better ANS activity might protect from dental anxiety.