Abstract
Objectives
The objective of this study was to analyse whether auricular acupuncture, acupuncture at the outer ear, could reduce state anxiety before dental treatment.
Methods
This prospective, randomised patient-blinded study with 182 patients compared anxiety before dental treatment following auricular acupuncture at the relaxation-, tranquillizer- and master cerebral points (auricular acupuncture group) versus acupuncture at sham points (finger-, shoulder- and tonsil points; sham group) and a non-intervention control group. Anxiety was assessed using the Spielberger State Trait Anxiety Inventory (German version) before auricular acupuncture and 20 min thereafter, immediately before dental treatment.
Results
Auricular acupuncture reduced state anxiety score more effectively from 54.7 ± 10.8 to 46.9 ± 10.4 (mean ± SD) than sham acupuncture from 51.9 ± 10.2 to 48.4 ± 10.0. In contrast, state anxiety in the control group increased from 51.0 ± 11.7 to 54.0 ± 11.6 (mean increase +3.0; CI +4.7 to +1.2). The decrease in state anxiety in both intervention groups was statistically significant (p < 0.001) when compared to the non-intervention control group. After correcting for group differences in baseline state anxiety, the reduction in anxiety was −7.3 score points (CI −9.0 to −5.6) in the auricular acupuncture group and −3.7 score points (CI −5.4 to −1.9) in the sham group (p = 0.008).
Conclusion
Auricular acupuncture, a minimally invasive method, effectively reduces state anxiety before dental treatment.
Clinical relevance
Auricular acupuncture could be an option for patients scheduled for dental treatment, who experience an uncomfortable degree of anxiety and request an acute intervention for their anxiety.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Rodríguez Vázquez LM, Rubiños López E, Varela Centelles A, Blanco Otero AI, Varela Otero F, Varela Centelles P (2008) Stress amongst primary dental care patients. Med Oral Patol Oral Cir Bucal 13:E253–E256
Hill KB, Hainsworth JM, Burke FJ, Fairbrother KJ (2008) Evaluation of dentists' perceived needs regarding treatment of the anxious patient. Br Dent J 204:E13, 442-443
Oosterink FM, de Jongh A, Aartman IH (2008) What are people afraid of during dental treatment? Anxiety-provoking capacity of 67 stimuli characteristic of the dental setting. Eur J Oral Sci 116:44–51
Enkling N, Marwinski G, Jöhren P (2006) Dental anxiety in a representative sample of residents of a large German City. Clin Oral Investig 10:84–91
Armfield JM, Slade GD, Spencer AJ (2009) Dental fear and adult oral health in Australia. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 37:220–230
Vermaire JH, de Jongh A, Aartman IH (2008) Dental anxiety and quality of life: the effect of dental treatment. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 36:409–416
Lahmann C, Schoen R, Henningsen P, Ronel J, Muehlbacher M, Loew T, Tritt K, Nickel M, Doering S (2008) Brief relaxation versus music distraction in the treatment of dental anxiety: a randomized controlled clinical trial. J Am Dent Assoc 139:317–324
Pilkington K, Kirkwood G, Rampes H, Cummings M, Richardson J (2007) Acupuncture for anxiety and anxiety disorders—a systematic literature review. Acupunct Med 25:1–10
Wang SM, Kain ZN (2001) Auricular acupuncture: a potential treatment for anxiety. Anesth Analg 92:548–553
Wang SM, Peloquin C, Kain ZN (2001) The use of auricular acupuncture to reduce preoperative anxiety. Anesth Analg 93:1178–1180
Karst M, Winterhalter M, Munte S, Francki B, Hondronikos A, Eckardt A, Hoy L, Buhck H, Bernateck M, Fink M (2007) Auricular acupuncture for dental anxiety: a randomized controlled trial. Anesth Analg 104:295–300
Wang SM, Maranets I, Weinberg ME, Caldwell-Andrews AA, Kain ZN (2004) Parental auricular acupuncture as an adjunct for parental presence during induction of anesthesia. Anesthesiology 100:1399–1404
Laux L, Glanzmann P, Schaffner P, Spielberger CD, State Trait-Angstinventar (STAI) (1981) Beltz Testgesellschaft, Weinheim, Deutschland (German version) from: Spielberger Charles D, Porsuch RL, Lushene RH. State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Consulting Psychologists Press Inc., Palo Alto, CA, USA
Hermes D, Matthes M, Saka B (2007) Treatment anxiety in oral and maxillofacial surgery. Results of a German multi-centre trial. J Craniomaxillofac Surg 35:316–321
Vickers AJ, Altman DG (2001) Statistics notes: analysing controlled trials with baseline and follow up measurements. BMJ 323(7321):1123–1124
Fisher PL, Durham RC (1999) Recovery rates in generalized anxiety disorder following psychological therapy: an analysis of clinically significant change in the STAI-T across outcome studies since 1990. Psychol Med 29:1425–1434
Weisenberg M, Kreindler ML, Schachat R (1974) Relationship of the dental anxiety scale to the state-trait anxiety inventory. J Dent Res 53:946
Linde K, Niemann K, Meissner K (2010) Are sham acupuncture interventions more effective than (other) placebos? A re-analysis of data from the Cochrane review on placebo effects. Forsch Komplementmed 17:259–264
Usichenko TI, Lehmann C, Ernst E (2008) Auricular acupuncture for postoperative pain control: a systematic review of randomised clinical trials. Anaesthesia 63:1343–1348
Halvorsen B, Willumsen T (2004) Willingness to pay for dental fear treatment. Is supplying dental fear treatment socially beneficial? Eur J Health Econ 5:299–308
Acknowledgments
DIng. Silberbauer Vertriebsgesellschaft m.b.H. &Co. KG (Vienna, Austria) kindly provided the acupuncture needles.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Michalek-Sauberer, A., Gusenleitner, E., Gleiss, A. et al. Auricular acupuncture effectively reduces state anxiety before dental treatment—a randomised controlled trial. Clin Oral Invest 16, 1517–1522 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00784-011-0662-4
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00784-011-0662-4