Summary of: Highly anxious dental patients report more pain during dental injections

• Published in: British dental journal Vol. 205; no. 3; pp. 142 - 143
• Main Authors: McNeil, D. W, Kyle, B. N
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 09.08.2008; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: Dentistry; Medicine; research-summary
• ISSN: 0007-0610; 1476-5373
• DOI: 10.1038/sj.bdj.2008.681

Key Points Patients may consider anaesthesia as anxiety-inducing as dental treatment. The use of surface anaesthesia is recommended and the most painful injection (ie palatinal) should be given last. Although anxious patients report feeling more pain, evaluating treatment may help them positively reinterpret the experience. If a patient has had negative experiences in the past, they may feel elevated levels of pain. Objectives In the present study, the relationship between anxiety and pain was investigated using a clinically relevant sample and stimulus. Methods A sample of highly anxious dental patients (n = 23) and a sample of 'normal' subjects (n = 57) were compared with respect to the duration and intensity of pain while receiving a dental anaesthetic injection. Results As expected, highly anxious dental patients indicate more pain, which is of longer duration, than normal patients. Most predictive for the amount of pain felt was the pain felt during a previous injection. Conclusion Dentists should be aware that anxious dental patients with a negative experience regarding dental injections may feel elevated levels of pain which most likely leads to negative expectations for the future.