title: The level of dental anxiety and dental status in adult patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The present study aimed to assess potential correlation between dental anxiety and overall dental status in adult patients, in consideration of the frequency of dental appointments and individual dental hygiene practices.
  
  
  METHODS
  Individual dental anxiety levels were assessed with the aid of the Corah's dental anxiety scale (DAS). The study embraced 112 patients of the University Dental Clinic, Kraków. Following clinical and X-ray exams, respectively, decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT) index and dental treatment index (DTI) were computed for each study subject.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean DAS among the 112 subjects under study was 9.41 standard deviation (SD = 3.36). Mean DMFT value was 15.86 (SD = 7.00), whereas DTI value was 0.76 (SD = 0.27). The number of decayed teeth and an individual dental anxiety level were found to be correlated (r = 0.26). Higher dental anxiety correlated with lower DTI value (r = -0.22) and lesser frequency of dental appointments (r = 0.22).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Individual dental anxiety level appears to impact overall dental status, frequency of dental appointments and everyday oral health practices. Every conceivable effort should therefore be undertaken with a view to effectively diminishing dental anxiety levels in the patients. How to cite the article: Dobros K, Hajto-Bryk J, Wnęk A, Zarzecka J, Rzepka D. The level of dental anxiety and dental status in adult patients. J Int Oral Health 2014;6(3):11-4.
authors.affiliation: Department of Conservative Dentistry with Endodontics, Institute of Dentistry, Jagiellonian University Collegium Medicum, Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dobros
authors.affiliation: Department of Conservative Dentistry with Endodontics, Institute of Dentistry, Jagiellonian University Collegium Medicum, Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Justyna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hajto-Bryk
authors.affiliation: Department of Conservative Dentistry with Endodontics, Institute of Dentistry, Jagiellonian University Collegium Medicum, Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wnek
authors.affiliation: Department of Conservative Dentistry with Endodontics, Institute of Dentistry, Jagiellonian University Collegium Medicum, Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zarzecka
authors.affiliation: Department of Electronics, AGH University of Science and Technology, Poland.
authors.forename: Dominik
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rzepka
keywords: Dental anxiety; dental status; dental visits
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