Effect of Music on Dental Anxiety and Physiological Responses During Dental Drill and Suction Sounds

Overview

Dental anxiety is common and may be triggered or increased by sounds associated with dental treatment, particularly the sound of a dental drill and suction device. Anxiety during dental care may be associated with changes in physiological responses such as heart rate and blood pressure. This randomized controlled clinical trial will investigate whether listening to music can reduce dental anxiety and physiological responses when participants are exposed to dental drill and suction sounds. Participants will be randomly assigned to either a music group or a control group. Participants in the music group will listen to selected music during exposure to the dental sounds, while participants in the control group will undergo the same sound exposure without music. Dental anxiety will be assessed using a validated anxiety assessment tool, and physiological responses will be measured before, during, and/or after exposure to the dental sounds. The study will compare changes in anxiety and physiological measures between the music and control groups. The findings may help determine whether music is a simple, non-invasive approach for reducing anxiety and physiological responses associated with dental sounds and may contribute to improved comfort during dental care.

Dental anxiety is a common barrier to dental care and can be triggered by sensory stimuli associated with dental treatment. Among these stimuli, the sounds of dental drills and suction devices may be particularly distressing and may contribute to psychological and physiological responses associated with anxiety. Identifying simple, non-invasive approaches to reduce these responses may improve patient comfort and the dental treatment experience. Music has been investigated as a non-pharmacological method for reducing anxiety in healthcare and dental settings. However, the specific effect of music during controlled exposure to dental drill and suction sounds, particularly in relation to both subjective dental anxiety and physiological responses, requires further evaluation. This randomized controlled clinical trial will evaluate the effect of music on dental anxiety and physiological responses during exposure to dental drill and suction sounds. Eligible participants will be randomly allocated to either a music intervention group or a control group. Participants in the intervention group will listen to music during exposure to the dental drill and suction sounds. Participants in the control group will be exposed to the same dental sounds without the music intervention. The exposure conditions and assessment procedures will otherwise be standardized between groups. Dental anxiety will be assessed using a validated assessment instrument. Physiological responses will be assessed using predefined physiological measures, which may include heart rate, heart-rate variability, blood pressure, and/or other prespecified measures according to the study protocol. Measurements will be obtained at predefined time points in relation to the sound exposure. The study will compare dental anxiety and physiological responses between the music and control groups to determine whether music is associated with reduced psychological and physiological responses to dental-related sounds. The study is designed to provide evidence regarding the potential use of music as a simple, non-invasive intervention for managing anxiety associated with dental sounds.