Basic emotions evoked by eugenol odor differ according to the dental experience. A neurovegetative analysis

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Neuroscience
• Sensory Science

Background:

• Odors can form strong emotional memories, particularly in contexts like dental offices.
• Eugenol, a common dental office odorant, may evoke negative feelings due to its association with restorative dentistry.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the emotional impact of eugenol odor on individuals with varying dental experiences.
• To explore the link between dental office odors and emotional responses, potentially contributing to dental anxiety.

Main Methods:

• Autonomic nervous system (ANS) analysis of six parameters (electrodermal, thermovascular, cardiorespiratory) during eugenol inhalation.
• Comparison of responses to eugenol, vanillin (pleasant), and propionic acid (unpleasant) in volunteer subjects.
• Subjective rating of odor pleasantness and categorization of autonomic responses into basic emotions.

Main Results:

• Significant differences in eugenol perception were found between fearful and non-fearful dental subjects.
• Non-fearful subjects rated eugenol as pleasant, showing positive autonomic responses (happiness, surprise).
• Fearful subjects rated eugenol as unpleasant, exhibiting negative autonomic responses (fear, anger, disgust).

Conclusions:

• Eugenol's emotional impact varies with individual dental experience, confirming odors as potential elicitors of emotional memories.
• Dental office ambient odors may contribute to negative conditioning and anxiety in susceptible patients.
• The study highlights the psychological influence of olfactory stimuli in healthcare settings.