A Dental Health Survey Conducted by the Department of Dentistry Involving Dental Phobia and Gag Reflex

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  • TAKANO Tomoko
    Department of Highly Advanced Stomatology, Kanagawa Dental University
  • KOMATSU Tomoko
    Dentistry for the Special Patient, Department of Critical Care Medicine and Dentistry, Kanagawa Dental University
  • MIYAGI Atsushi
    Kanagawa Dental University
  • MIYAZAKI Keiko
    The Devision of Special Needs Dentistry, Kanagawa Dental University Yokohama Clinic National Rehabilitation Center for Children with Disabilities
  • KATSUHATA Taeko
    The Devision of Special Needs Dentistry, Kanagawa Dental University Yokohama Clinic
  • KAWASE Kiyomi
    The Devision of Special Needs Dentistry, Kanagawa Dental University Yokohama Clinic
  • NIIKURA Keita
    The Devision of Special Needs Dentistry, Kanagawa Dental University Yokohama Clinic
  • NAKAKOUJI Mio
    The Devision of Special Needs Dentistry, Kanagawa Dental University Yokohama Clinic
  • KUMASAKA Sumio
    Department of Highly Advanced Stomatology, Kanagawa Dental University
  • SUGITA Takeo
    Department of Highly Advanced Stomatology, Kanagawa Dental University
  • ARISAKA Hirofumi
    Department of Highly Advanced Stomatology, Kanagawa Dental University
  • IKEDA Masakazu
    Kanagawa Dental University

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Other Title
  • 当科における歯科恐怖症患者および異常絞扼反射患者の歯科実態調査（第1報）

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<p>Excessive fear（dental phobia：DP）and gag reflex（GR）experienced by patients during dental treatment may have negative effects on treatment. When providing dental care for patients with these disorders, various behavior control methods are used while taking into consideration their psychological factors. However, some patients discontinue treatment and their oral condition worsens. A survey was conducted involving DP or GR patients who had consulted the Department of Dentistry to examine their psychological factors and oral findings at the initial consultation. The results were as follows：</p><p>1. The psychological factors of all patients solely with GR could not be identified. The largest number of patients with solely DP had “fear of pain（53.6％）”, and “fear that gag reflex may be induced during dental treatment（92.0％）” was the most common psychological factor among patients with both DP and GR. These factors were associated with their uncomfortable experiences.</p><p>2. In comparison with the results of a national dental health survey conducted by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, the mean DMFT scores of DP and GR patients in the present survey were higher. The number of decayed teeth in particular was significantly higher among most of those DP and GR patients, excluding patients in their 70s, which suggests that their oral environment was poor.</p><p>3. Although approximately 70％ of the patients completed treatment, less than 40％ were under regular dental health management.</p><p>Dental care for DP or GR patients should be continued even after the completion of treatment. It is necessary to implement dental health management programs for these patients on a regular basis to address or reduce their psychological factors, maintain a healthy oral environment, and improve it while using desensitization approaches.</p>

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