title: Comparison of anxiety levels associated with noise in the dental clinic among children of age group 6-15 years.
abstract: Fear or anxiety due to noise produced in the dental clinic is rated third among the reasons to avoid dental visits. The aim of the present study was to determine anxiety levels associated with noise in a dental clinic. The study was done using a survey questionnaire containing 10 questions and was divided into two parts. The first part included demographic information such as name, age, gender, and school; the second half included questions regarding patient's feelings toward noise in the dental clinic and its possible link to dental anxiety. Two-hundred and fifty children and adolescents of age group 6-15 years participated in the study. Results of the study showed that 50% of females, 29% males avoided a visit to the dentist because of anxiety and fear, 38% subjects of age group 6-11 years reported that sound of the drill makes them uncomfortable, followed by having to wait in the reception area. Gender gap was also observed with more females feeling annoyed than males on the 1-10 annoyance level scale. More than 60% felt "annoyed" to "extremely annoyed" by noise in the dental clinic. 45% of subjects preferred watching television to cope with such noise. This study concludes that the noise produced in dental clinic is anxiety provoking and significantly contributes to avoidance of dental treatment and the best way opted by the majority of subjects to overcome this anxiety was audiovisual distraction method.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry, Panineeya Institute of Dental Sciences and Research Centre, Dilsuknagar, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India. svs.radhika@gmail.com
authors.forename: Radhika
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Muppa
authors.forename: Prameela
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bhupatiraju
authors.forename: Mahesh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Duddu
authors.forename: Narendra Varma
authors.initials: NV
authors.lastname: Penumatsa
authors.forename: Arthi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dandempally
authors.forename: Priyanka
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Panthula
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D016854:Dental Anxiety / Q000209:etiology*; D003740:Dental Clinics; D003748:Dental Equipment / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D009623:Noise, Occupational / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires