Association Between Self‐Reported Oral Health and Dental Fear Among Illicit Drug Users in Northern Finland

ABSTRACT Objectives About 10% of adults in northern Finland have severe dental fear, but there is a lack of detailed knowledge about dental fear among illicit drug users. The aim of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of dental fear and its association with self‐reported oral health and health...

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Main Authors: Raija Vainionpää, Antti Tiisanoja, Outi Kokkola, Pirkko Riipinen, Vuokko Anttonen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2024-12-01
Series:Clinical and Experimental Dental Research
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/cre2.70055
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author Raija Vainionpää
Antti Tiisanoja
Outi Kokkola
Pirkko Riipinen
Vuokko Anttonen
author_facet Raija Vainionpää
Antti Tiisanoja
Outi Kokkola
Pirkko Riipinen
Vuokko Anttonen
author_sort Raija Vainionpää
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT Objectives About 10% of adults in northern Finland have severe dental fear, but there is a lack of detailed knowledge about dental fear among illicit drug users. The aim of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of dental fear and its association with self‐reported oral health and health behavior as well as background factors of the customers of substance abuse services living in the region of Oulu, Northern Ostrobothnia, Finland. Materials and Methods One hundred seventeen volunteers, either active or former illicit drug users, were interviewed face‐to‐face about their background factors, health and health behaviors, and use of illicit drugs. The Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS) was used to assess a situation‐specific level of dental anxiety. For analyses, Pearson's χ2 test, Fisher's exact test, ANOVA, and logistic regression analysis were performed. Results Three out of four participants had at least moderate dental fear (MDAS ≥ 10) and 24% had severe dental fear (MDAS ≥ 19), with the average MDAS being 14.0 (SD 5.7). Participants in drug rehabilitation reported significantly more dental fear than the rest of the participants. Severe dental fear was associated (adjusted) with previous painful experiences OR 10.8 (2.3–52.0) and poor behavior by dental personnel OR 4.1 (1.2–13.9). Conclusions Dental fear is common among illicit drug users, and it is, particularly, associated with previous painful experiences and poor behavior by dental personnel.
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spelling doaj-art-2a0f3a7f4ccd4d90b944fd08404c2e6a2024-12-19T17:12:59ZengWileyClinical and Experimental Dental Research2057-43472024-12-01106n/an/a10.1002/cre2.70055Association Between Self‐Reported Oral Health and Dental Fear Among Illicit Drug Users in Northern FinlandRaija Vainionpää0Antti Tiisanoja1Outi Kokkola2Pirkko Riipinen3Vuokko Anttonen4Faculty of Medicine, Research Unit of Population Health University of Oulu Oulu FinlandFaculty of Medicine, Research Unit of Population Health University of Oulu Oulu FinlandFaculty of Medicine, Research Unit of Population Health University of Oulu Oulu FinlandDepartment of Psychiatry, Institute of Clinical Medicine University of Oulu Oulu FinlandFaculty of Medicine, Research Unit of Population Health University of Oulu Oulu FinlandABSTRACT Objectives About 10% of adults in northern Finland have severe dental fear, but there is a lack of detailed knowledge about dental fear among illicit drug users. The aim of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of dental fear and its association with self‐reported oral health and health behavior as well as background factors of the customers of substance abuse services living in the region of Oulu, Northern Ostrobothnia, Finland. Materials and Methods One hundred seventeen volunteers, either active or former illicit drug users, were interviewed face‐to‐face about their background factors, health and health behaviors, and use of illicit drugs. The Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS) was used to assess a situation‐specific level of dental anxiety. For analyses, Pearson's χ2 test, Fisher's exact test, ANOVA, and logistic regression analysis were performed. Results Three out of four participants had at least moderate dental fear (MDAS ≥ 10) and 24% had severe dental fear (MDAS ≥ 19), with the average MDAS being 14.0 (SD 5.7). Participants in drug rehabilitation reported significantly more dental fear than the rest of the participants. Severe dental fear was associated (adjusted) with previous painful experiences OR 10.8 (2.3–52.0) and poor behavior by dental personnel OR 4.1 (1.2–13.9). Conclusions Dental fear is common among illicit drug users, and it is, particularly, associated with previous painful experiences and poor behavior by dental personnel.https://doi.org/10.1002/cre2.70055dental fearillicit drug useMDAS (Modified Dental Anxiety Scale)oral health
spellingShingle Raija Vainionpää
Antti Tiisanoja
Outi Kokkola
Pirkko Riipinen
Vuokko Anttonen
Association Between Self‐Reported Oral Health and Dental Fear Among Illicit Drug Users in Northern Finland
Clinical and Experimental Dental Research
dental fear
illicit drug use
MDAS (Modified Dental Anxiety Scale)
oral health
title Association Between Self‐Reported Oral Health and Dental Fear Among Illicit Drug Users in Northern Finland
title_full Association Between Self‐Reported Oral Health and Dental Fear Among Illicit Drug Users in Northern Finland
title_fullStr Association Between Self‐Reported Oral Health and Dental Fear Among Illicit Drug Users in Northern Finland
title_full_unstemmed Association Between Self‐Reported Oral Health and Dental Fear Among Illicit Drug Users in Northern Finland
title_short Association Between Self‐Reported Oral Health and Dental Fear Among Illicit Drug Users in Northern Finland
title_sort association between self reported oral health and dental fear among illicit drug users in northern finland
topic dental fear
illicit drug use
MDAS (Modified Dental Anxiety Scale)
oral health
url https://doi.org/10.1002/cre2.70055
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AT outikokkola associationbetweenselfreportedoralhealthanddentalfearamongillicitdrugusersinnorthernfinland
AT pirkkoriipinen associationbetweenselfreportedoralhealthanddentalfearamongillicitdrugusersinnorthernfinland
AT vuokkoanttonen associationbetweenselfreportedoralhealthanddentalfearamongillicitdrugusersinnorthernfinland