Ansiedade dentária

: uma questão de saúde pública e qualidade de vida : estudo de caso

Abstract

The dental anxiety is a public health problem of increasing concern to the area of Dental Medicine, as it is noted that a significant proportion of patients constantly miss appointments due to this problem. This analytical observational epidemiological study aims to: (1) assess the prevalence of dental anxiety and (2) measure the quality of life in users of University Dental Clinic of Universidade Católica Portuguesa - Centro Regional Beiras (Viseu), identifying etiologic factors which may contribute to the increase in this type of anxiety. We selected a sample of 162 users, aged between 15 and 85 years of age, of both genders, who resorted to the University Clinic in the months of March, April and May 2013. The dental anxiety was measured using two scales, measuring specific anxiety and dental phobia, both in Portuguese versions - the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS) and Dental Fear Survey (DFS) - and also a scale measuring general health, the Short Form 36 version 2 (SF-36v2), applied in conjunction with questionnaires socioeconomic Graffar. It was found that the results obtained by DFS differ from the MDAS. In the first sample are 61.7% and according to the MDAS only 13.6% is anxious, but the relatively much phobic anxiety and the ratio is the same in both ranges (6.2%). We conclude that there is a strong relationship with the Quality of Life and the dental anxiety and more anxiogenic stimuli that are at the view of the needle and the perception of the sting.

Date of Award	11 Jul 2013
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Cláudia Patrícia de Campos Ribeiro (Supervisor)