Oral Health Care and General Wellbeing

This study examines how anxiety affects an individual with regard to dental care. Due to negligence regardless of age or gender one tends to avoid treatment at the right time, leading to an aggravation of the problem. 116 (66 male and 50 female within the age group 6–65 years residing in Shimla, India) of which 72% were patients undergoing treatment for physical ailments responded to the Dental Anxiety Scale (Corah's DAS-R, 1998). Major findings indicate that most patients undergoing treatment for chronic diseases and others (12%) who had undergone major to minor surgery were somewhat apprehensive for any kind of treatment for their gums and teeth. Dental anxiety strongly predicted oral health as was evident from the analysis on healthy people in spite of information of modern dental treatment devices. Subjects reported (12% children and 49% adults, mainly women) that they were ready to adopt oral care devices like flossing, brushing, and avoidance of unhealthy food or intermittent eating if that could ward off consulting a dentist. Such a study shows the importance of oral health care regardless of gender or age but the main issue lies in overcoming anxiety. Motivation for oral hygiene goes a long way in developing a healthy society.