Root cause of dental phobia

Women in their forties are more likely to have dental anxiety than any other age group according to a University of Sydney study into dental anxiety and phobia. The case-control study, now entering its fifth year, aims to help improve dental management for patients with dental fear, dental anxiety and dental phobia. It has found women in this age group are most likely to have perceived a traumatic dental experience, abuse, trauma and oro-facial trauma. They are also more likely to have higher levels of depression, general anxiety or suffer from stress. Character traits of perceiving pain in alarmist ways (catastrophising responses) and poor coping with pain have strong correlation with dental anxiety. University of Sydney Faculty of Dentistry Special Needs Dentist, Avanti Karve, who is co-ordinator of the study, admits that for some the very mention of the word 'dentist' can evoke an instantaneous response of dread. "Dental anxiety is very real and complex and it should never be downplayed," says Avanti Karve.