General and oral health problems among adults with focus on dentally anxious individuals

Magnus Hakeberg; Ulla Wide

doi:10.1111/idj.12400

General and oral health problems among adults with focus on dentally anxious individuals

Int Dent J. 2018 Dec;68(6):405-410. doi: 10.1111/idj.12400. Epub 2018 Apr 11.

Authors

Magnus Hakeberg¹, Ulla Wide¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Behavioral and Community Dentistry, Institute of Odontology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.

Abstract

Objectives: The objective of this epidemiological survey was to analyse the association between dental anxiety and health-related quality of life (HRQL) among adults.

Methods: Individuals were randomly selected (n = 3500), and they were interviewed by telephone and asked to complete a questionnaire concerning dental anxiety, HRQL [Oral Health Impact Profile-5 (OHIP-5) and EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D)] and several socioeconomic variables.

Results: Dental anxiety was revealed as a significant factor relative to the OHIP-5 and EQ-5D. Dental anxiety had a stronger association with the OHIP-5 [odds ratio (OR): 3.50] than with the EQ-5D (OR: 1.75). In addition, socioeconomic status demonstrated a gradient, with higher ORs the lower the income and the likelihood of reporting poor HRQL.

Conclusion: High dental anxiety was associated with lower HRQL.

Keywords: Health-related quality of life; dental anxiety; epidemiology; oral health-related quality of life.

MeSH terms

Adult
Aged
Dental Anxiety*
Health Status*
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Odds Ratio
Oral Health*
Quality of Life*
Sociological Factors
Stomatognathic Diseases / epidemiology
Sweden / epidemiology