Ansiedade odontológica: abordagem baseada nos conceitos de humanização em saúde

Abstract

Dental anxiety is a frequent and multifactorial phenomenon, commonly associated with fear of invasive procedures and capable of compromising treatment adherence. Surgical situations, such as tooth extractions, are among the most anxiety-provoking and can influence both patient experience and clinical outcomes. In this context, humanized practices have proven essential for reducing emotional tension and strengthening the professional–patient relationship. This cross-sectional study assessed the level of anxiety in 43 adults undergoing tooth extraction at the Surgical Clinics of the Faculty of Dentistry at Federal University of Juiz de Fora. Dental anxiety was measured prior to the procedure using the Dental Anxiety Scale, along with sociodemographic data collection. Descriptive statistical analyses and Pearson’s chi-square test were applied, adopting a significance level of p<0.05. Among participants, 60.47% were women and the mean age was 36 years. Anxiety levels were distributed as follows: 25.58% no anxiety, 37.21% mild, 34.88% moderate and 2.33% severe. No statistically significant association was observed between anxiety and sex (p=0.460) or age (p=0.573). Overall, most patients exhibited some degree of anxiety, predominantly mild to moderate levels, with no relationship to sex or age. These findings highlight the importance of emotional screening and the implementation of humanized and non-pharmacological interventions to reduce anxiety in surgical dental care.