Dental anxiety and oral health: results of the 6th German Oral Health Study (DMS • 6).

OBJECTIVES: Dental anxiety (DA) is the fifth most common type of anxiety and leads to avoidance strategies that impact oral health and health-related quality of life. This study aimed at examining the prevalence of epidemiologically significant dental diseases, including dental caries, periodontitis, and tooth loss, according to DA severity. METHOD AND MATERIALS: Younger adults (35- to 44-year-olds) and younger seniors (65- to 74-year-olds) with available data on self-reported DA using the modified DA scale (MDAS) were selected from the cohort of the population-representative 6th German Oral Health Study (DMS • 6). The prevalence of oral diseases was compared among participant groups with different levels of DA (no/mild, moderate, and severe/phobia). RESULTS: Among younger adults and younger seniors, 26.4% and 22.8% reported DA, respectively. In these age groups, 9.5% and 7.6% reported severe DA or phobia, respectively, and the prevalence was higher among women in both age groups. Although the overall decayed, missing, filled teeth scores did not differ significantly according to DA levels, the number of untreated caries lesions and missing teeth increased with increasing anxiety levels. In younger seniors, the number of restored teeth and filled and sound teeth index decreased with increasing DA severity. Similarly, periodontal treatment needs and prevalence of advanced periodontitis (stage III and IV) increased with higher DA levels. Moreover, the number of missing and non-replaced missing teeth increased significantly with DA, whereas edentulism was not significantly different between the DA groups. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of dental caries, periodontitis, and missing teeth increases with even moderate DA and is worse in patients with severe DA/phobia. (Quintessence Int 2026;57(Suppl):S118-S125; doi: 10.3290/j.qi.b6955509).