Perceived stress, dental pain, and coping strategies among dental patients in Nigeria: a cross-sectional study

Perceived stress reflects an individual’s appraisal of a situation as overwhelming. It plays a crucial role in shaping pain experience and management. Dental pain, resulting from tooth decay, its sequelae or periodontal diseases, may adversely affect quality of life by contributing to physical discomfort and psychological stress. The cognitive and behavioural efforts to manage stress are key in moderating the effects of stress on pain. These efforts may be adaptive coping strategies, which promote resilience and effective stress management or maladaptive strategies which often exacerbate stress. This study therefore assessed perceived stress, and its relationship with dental pain and the coping strategies adopted by dental patients. This observational cross-sectional study was conducted among 261 patients attending the dental clinic of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex Ile-Ife, Nigeria. The study assessed perceived stress, dental pain, and coping strategies using the Perceived Stress Scale, the Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire, and the Brief-Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced inventory, respectively. The rate of moderate to high perceived stress was 62.5%. Respondents with dental pain reported significantly higher perceived stress (16.54 ± 6.41) than those without dental pain (14.26 ± 5.25, t = − 2.98, p = 0.003, d = 0.38). Perceived stress showed a significant positive correlation with pain symptoms ( r = 0.15, p = 0 0.014) and pain level score ( r = 0.21, p = 0.001). Stressed respondents reported higher mean scores for maladaptive coping (19.00 ± 5.77) than respondents without stress (15.83 ± 4.71, p = < 0.001, d = 0.59). Perceived stress had a significant positive correlation with adaptive coping subscales—active coping, planning, and the use of instrumental support ( r = 0.17, p = 0.006; r = 0.21, p = 0.001; and r = 0.14, p = 0.020, respectively), and maladaptive coping and all its subscales ( r ≤ 0.24, p ≤ 0.027). This study suggests an association between perceived stress and dental pain, offering a novel perspective on its influence on the experience of dental pain. Higher perceived stress was associated with greater dental pain and distinct coping strategies. These findings suggest the importance of considering psychological and coping profiles when assessing patients with dental pain. Further research is needed to clarify direction of these associations and their potential relevance for clinical care.