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Dental anxiety and alexithymia: gender differences
Aki Viinikangas1, Satu Lahti, Mimmi Tolvanen
1Department of Community Dentistry, University of Oulu, Finland.
Acta Odontologica Scandinavica
|October 22, 2008
Summary
Alexithymia, a difficulty in identifying and describing feelings, is linked to higher dental anxiety in Finnish adults. This association remained significant even after accounting for age and gender, highlighting a potential area for targeted dental care interventions.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry and Psychology
- Dental Public Health
Background:
- Alexithymia is a personality construct characterized by difficulties in emotional processing and expression.
- Dental anxiety is a common issue affecting patient compliance and oral health outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between alexithymia and dental anxiety in adult dental patients.
- To explore potential gender differences in this association, adjusting for age.
Main Methods:
- Adult patients attending Finnish dental health centers completed the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS) and the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20).
- Data included demographic profiles, overall scores, and three TAS factors.
- Statistical analyses were performed to assess associations, controlling for age and gender.
Main Results:
- A significant association was found between high dental anxiety and alexithymia.
- The prevalence of alexithymia was higher in patients with high dental anxiety (15.5%) compared to those with low dental anxiety (5.9%).
- High dental anxiety correlated with 'difficulty identifying feelings' (TAS factor 1), and overall TAS scores remained significant after adjusting for age and gender, except for 'externally oriented thinking' (TAS factor 3).
Conclusions:
- Alexithymia is significantly associated with dental anxiety in adult Finnish dental patients.
- The findings suggest that alexithymia may be a relevant factor contributing to dental anxiety.
- Further research could explore clinical implications for managing dental anxiety in individuals with alexithymia.
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