[Dental complaints are found always between the ears. Somatization in the dental practice].
The aim of the present study was to investigate the occurrence of somatization-specific behaviour in the dental setting and its relationship with patients' report of both dental and psychological complaints. Somatization-specific behaviour was operationalized as an unexplained dental complaint, high dental attendance, a high treatment consumption or an unreasonable demand with regard to treatment. Of the 309 patients 8.7% fulfilled the criteria for somatization-specific behaviour, which was mainly expressed as a high frequency of attendance (6.8%). Women showed significantly more often (73%) somatization-specific behaviour than men (27%). Further, a relation between depression and somatization-specific behaviour was found. Particularly patients with a relatively high level of long-lasting dental complaints demonstrated somatization-specific behaviour.
Lock
D J
DJ
Sectie Sociale Tandheelkunde en Voorlichtingskunde van het Academisch Centrum Tandheelkunde Amsterdam (ACTA).
de Jongh
A
A
de Groot
T M
TM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005792:General Practice, Dental; D006300:Health Services Misuse / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012494:Sampling Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires