Dental Fear

Fear of the dental office keeps many people from seeking the consistent oral health care they need. A study conducted at the University of West Virginia looked at patients' subjective experience of dental pain. Researchers surveyed a population of 79 patients who underwent an emergency extraction about their anxiety and pain before, during, and 2 weeks after the procedure was completed. Participants were also asked to rate their level of anxiety and fear of pain. All study subjects exaggerated their memory of the pain experienced during the procedure but only those who were noted as highly anxious also exaggerated their memory of anxiety. The patients in the highly anxious category also reported more pain before undergoing the procedure and said they had expected more pain.