Psychological trauma exposure and trauma symptoms among individuals with high and low levels of dental anxiety

Psychological trauma exposure and trauma symptoms among individuals with high and low levels of dental anxiety
Issue online:
25 Jul 2006
Accepted for publication May 2006
To cite this article: Ad de Jongh, Jolanda Fransen, Floor Oosterink-Wubbe, Irene Aartman (2006)
Psychological trauma exposure and trauma symptoms among individuals with high and low levels of dental anxiety
European Journal of Oral Sciences 114 (4), 286Ò292.
doi:10.1111/j.1600-0722.2006.00384.x
Blackwell Synergy

Ad de Jongh, Jolanda Fransen, Floor Oosterink-Wubbe, Irene AartmanDepartment of Social Dentistry and Behavioral Sciences, Academic Center for Dentistry Amsterdam, the Netherlands

Ad de Jongh, PhD, Department of Social Dentistry and Behavioral Sciences, Academic Center for Dentistry Amsterdam, Universiteit van Amsterdam, Louwesweg 1, 1066 EA Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Telefax: +31Ò20Ò5188233
E-mail: a.de.jongh@acta.nl
De Jongh A, Fransen JB, Oosterink-Wubbe FMD, Aartman IHA. Psychological trauma exposure and trauma symptoms among individuals with high and low levels of dental anxiety. Eur J Oral Sci 2006; 114: 286Ò292. © 2006 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2006 Eur J Oral Sci

Abstract
This questionnaire-based study investigated the traumatic background and trauma-related symptomatology among 141 treatment-seeking individuals with high levels of dental anxiety and among a low-anxious reference group consisting of 99 regular dental patients. The highly anxious individuals reported a significantly higher number of traumatic events, both within and outside the dental or medical setting, than those in the reference group (73% vs. 21%). Horrific experiences in the dental setting were the most common traumatic events reported. Of the highly anxious individuals, 46.1% indicated suffering from one or more of the post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom clusters (re-experiencing, avoidance, loss of interest, and insomnia), while in the reference group this percentage was 6%. Severity of dental anxiety was significantly associated with number of screening criteria for specific phobia and the extent to which the anxious subjects displayed symptoms of post-traumatic stress. Two variables were uniquely predictive for positive diagnostic screens for dental phobia and PTSD: having experienced a horrific dental treatment and having been a victim of a violent crime. In conclusion, post-traumatic symptoms are common accompaniments of severe forms of dental anxiety and are experienced even when dental treatment is not imminent.

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