Patient Fear, Myth , Knowledge and Awareness about Dental Treatment:A Cross-sectional Survey Study
Dr Mahalashmi B
, Dr Kirubavathy S , Dr Logappriya T , Dr Navina Ravindran , Dr Gopalakrishnan S
Dental Anxiety; Oral Health Myths; Scaling; Patient Education; Dental Fear.
Background: Dental anxiety and cultural myths significantly impede oral health maintenance and treatment compliance. Understanding the prevalence of these factors is crucial for improving clinical outcomes.
Objective: This study aimed to assess the levels of dental fear, identify common misconceptions, and evaluate the relationship between past dental visits and anxiety.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 150 participants using a structured questionnaire. Data on dental visitation, fear triggers, and oral health myths were collected. Statistical analysis was performed using Chi-square tests (p < 0.05).
Results: The majority of participants (92.7%) had previously visited a dentist. Bad past experiences were the primary reason for fear in 50.0% of respondents. Tooth extractions were identified as the most anxiety-inducing procedure by 58.0% of the sample. A significant myth regarding dental scaling (“scrapes and chips away tooth enamel”) was believed by 71.3% of participants. Chi-square analysis revealed a significant association between dental visitation and the level of fear regarding future treatment (chi^2 = 18.83, p = 0.0003), as well as between visitation and beliefs about scaling myths (chi^2 = 7.86, p = 0.049). Conclusion: High levels of dental anxiety and deep-seated myths persist despite clinical exposure. Targeted patient education is necessary to dispel misconceptions and manage fear effectively.
"Patient Fear, Myth , Knowledge and Awareness about Dental Treatment:A Cross-sectional Survey Study", IJSDR - International Journal of Scientific Development and Research (www.IJSDR.org), ISSN:2455-2631, Vol.11, Issue 1, page no.a279-a291, January-2026, Available :https://ijsdr.org/papers/IJSDR2601033.pdf
Volume 11
Issue 1,
January-2026
Pages : a279-a291
Paper Reg. ID: IJSDR_306805
Published Paper Id: IJSDR2601033
Downloads: 000250
Research Area: Others area
Country: Chennai , Tamil Nadu , India
ISSN: 2455-2631 | IMPACT FACTOR: 9.15 Calculated By Google Scholar | ESTD YEAR: 2016
An International Scholarly Open Access Journal, Peer-Reviewed, Refereed Journal Impact Factor 9.15 Calculate by Google Scholar and Semantic Scholar | AI-Powered Research Tool, Multidisciplinary, Monthly, Multilanguage Journal Indexing in All Major Database & Metadata, Citation Generator
Publisher: IJSDR(IJ Publication) Janvi Wave
