Relationship between childhood insecurity, dental fear
Fear of the dentist could be linked to negative experiences in childhood, according to a news report from Norwegian SciTech News.
Investigators detailed that dental fear is characterized as an emotional mental or physical response that can sometimes discourage patients from visiting the dentist. In a study, published in BMC Oral Health, they analyzed the responses of more than 5,800 patients aged 13 to 17 years.
The investigators found that the participants who reported negative experiences in childhood — including bullying, divorce, abuse or violence — were more likely to have symptoms associated with dental fear compared with those who didn’t report these experiences. Female participants and those with more stressful childhood experiences were at a greater risk of dental fear.
Dentists treating patients with dental fear were advised to consider a patient’s stressors to create a more sensitive and positive experience at the dentist.
Read more: Norwegian SciTech News
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