The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between dental coping strategies, general anxiety and depression while controlling for sociodemographic factors among patients with dental anxiety, including those with phobic avoidance behavior and those with regular dental care.
Methods:
Psychometric questionnaires on dental anxiety, dental coping strategies, general anxiety and depression were delivered to 265 adult patients with dental phobic avoidance behavior seeking help from a specialized dental fear clinic and to 141 adult patients with dental anxiety and regular dental care (at least alternate years) from various public dental clinics.
Results:
The results showed that the level of general anxiety and depression was significantly higher among irregular attendees, admitting fewer adaptive coping strategies. Predictive of irregular dental care was gender, dental anxiety, general anxiety and the non-use of the coping strategy “optimism”.
Conclusions:
This study further establishes earlier preliminary results that the use of optimistic thinking is predictive for regular dental attendance habits, whereas male gender is a risk factor for irregular attendance. Moreover, this study adds that high level of general anxiety indicates a higher risk for irregular dental care.