Infrequent Dental Patients Feel More Anxiety

Individuals who do not have regular dental appointments are more likely to feel anxiety when they visit the dentist, according to a study published on April 25, 2013, in the European Journal of Oral Sciences. Researchers surveyed over 400 adult patients with dental anxiety on their coping strategies and their dental care habits. The results showed that levels of dental and general anxiety were significantly higher among patients who did not visit the dentist regularly compared with those who did. These patients were also less likely to use coping strategies and to be optimistic about their visit. Men were more likely to schedule appointments irregularly than women.