Dental Phobia

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Abstract
A controlled study of 34 patients with dental phobia was carried out to explore predisposing and aetiological factors of phobia of dentistry. The ratio of males and females was 1:1.6, with no difference in the socio-occupational class of the two groups, neither was there a great difference in medical history except for the fact that 4 in the study group gave a history of epilepsy. Manifest anxiety was assessed clinically and rated on a five-point scale. The phobics had a significantly higher anxiety score, this was mainly contributed by 8 females with diffuse anxiety and 4 other females with other phobias apart from that of dentistry. All subjects completed the E.P.I. and the dental phobics had a profile for N and E almost identical to anxiety neurotics, while the controls were more extraverted than the general population. Dental trauma was found to be the most important aetiological factor in dental phobia and two such experiences distinctly separated the two groups. Other predisposing factors are discussed as well as the length of time between the last dental treatment and inclusion in this study, duration and intensity of pain and pain threshold.

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