The Use and Misuse of Benzodiazepines for the Management of Dental Anxiety- Iraqi Study

Background: Dental anxiety is a prevalent problem among patients. It leads to preventing people from receiving critical dental care. Since benzodiazepines have well-established anxiolytic effects, they are used by dentists as a premedication to provide relief of anxiety, anterograde amnesia, and light sedation. Therefore, benzodiazepines could be a practical and efficient option for dentists to ensure patient comfort and facilitate treatment, especially for invasive or complicated procedures. Aims of the study: This study assesses the awareness of Iraqi dentists regarding benzodiazepine use in dentistry. It explores the frequency of use, associated complications, and adherence to clinical guidelines. Additionally, it examines the role of benzodiazepines in managing dental anxiety in dental procedures. Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 100 dentists in Iraq. A Questionnaire was designed for dentists in Iraq about the use of benzodiazepines in dentistry and oral surgery for patients with dental anxiety. Results: The result shows that majority of dentists don’t prescribe benzodiazepines and prefer alternative methods for dental anxiety management. Among minority of dentists who prescribe benzodiazepines, diazepam was the most utilized medication. Oral route, 1-2 hour before procedure was the most preferred choice about benzodiazepine usage. Dentists were mostly use benzodiazepines for high patient anxiety and muscle relaxation during surgery. Conclusions: Iraqi dentists show a lack of awareness in benzodiazepines prescription with many preferring alternative anxiety management techniques. A significant proportion of dentists who don’t prescribe benzodiazepines currently wouldn’t consider using them in the future.