BACKGROUND: Dental phobia is part of the Blood-Injection-Injury (B-I-I) phobia subtype of specific phobia within DSM-IV-TR. To investigate the conceptual validity of this classification, the purpose of the present study was to determine the co-occurrence of dental phobia, typical dental (and B-I-I related) fears, vasovagal fainting, and avoidance of dental care. METHOD: Data were collected by an online survey in Dutch twin families (n = 11,213). RESULTS: Individuals with a positive screen of dental phobia (0.4% of the sample) rated typical B-I-I-related stimuli as relatively little anxiety provoking (e.g. of all 28 fears the stimulus "the sight of blood" was ranked lowest). Presence of dental phobia was significantly associated with a history of dizziness or fainting during dental treatment (OR = 3.4; 95% CI: 1.5-8.1), but of the dental phobic individuals only 13.0% reported a history of dizziness or fainting during dental treatment. Presence of dental phobia (OR = 5.0; 95% CI: 2.8-8.8) was found to be associated with avoidance of dental care, but a history of dizziness or fainting during dental treatment was not (OR = 1.0; 95% CI: 0.8-1.2). CONCLUSIONS: The present findings converge to the conclusion that dental phobia should be considered a specific phobia subtype independent of the B-I-I cluster within the DSM classification system.
BACKGROUND:Dental phobia is part of the Blood-Injection-Injury (B-I-I) phobia subtype of specific phobia within DSM-IV-TR. To investigate the conceptual validity of this classification, the purpose of the present study was to determine the co-occurrence of dental phobia, typical dental (and B-I-I related) fears, vasovagal fainting, and avoidance of dental care. METHOD: Data were collected by an online survey in Dutch twin families (n = 11,213). RESULTS: Individuals with a positive screen of dental phobia (0.4% of the sample) rated typical B-I-I-related stimuli as relatively little anxiety provoking (e.g. of all 28 fears the stimulus "the sight of blood" was ranked lowest). Presence of dental phobia was significantly associated with a history of dizziness or fainting during dental treatment (OR = 3.4; 95% CI: 1.5-8.1), but of the dental phobic individuals only 13.0% reported a history of dizziness or fainting during dental treatment. Presence of dental phobia (OR = 5.0; 95% CI: 2.8-8.8) was found to be associated with avoidance of dental care, but a history of dizziness or fainting during dental treatment was not (OR = 1.0; 95% CI: 0.8-1.2). CONCLUSIONS: The present findings converge to the conclusion that dental phobia should be considered a specific phobia subtype independent of the B-I-I cluster within the DSM classification system.
Authors: Johanna Alexopoulos; Christian Steinberg; Nora Ellen Liebergesell-Kilian; Berit Hoeffkes; Stephan Doering; Markus Junghöfer Journal: Eur J Neurosci Date: 2018-12-21 Impact factor: 3.386
Authors: Serge A Steenen; Naichuan Su; Roos van Westrhenen; Arjen J van Wijk; Daniël S L Tjia; Jan de Lange; Ad de Jongh Journal: Front Psychiatry Date: 2022-02-21 Impact factor: 4.157
Authors: Michael L Meier; Nuno M P de Matos; Mike Brügger; Dominik A Ettlin; Nenad Lukic; Marcus Cheetham; Lutz Jäncke; Kai Lutz Journal: Front Hum Neurosci Date: 2014-07-18 Impact factor: 3.169