Lavender scent calms dental patients

Lavender scent calms dental patients
15 Sep 2008, PR 187/08

A study by researchers at King’s College London has found that people exposed to lavender oil scent before having dental treatment were then less anxious about going to the dentist.

Metaxia Kritsidima, an MSc Dental Public Health graduate, working with Dr Koula Asimakopoulou Lecturer in Health Psychology, from the Dental Institute at King’s, presented their results at The British Psychological Society’s Division of Health Psychology and European Health Psychology Society Conference at the University of Bath last week.

British Psychological Society press release

Metaxia Kritsidima explained: ‘A substantial number of people avoid going to dental surgeries because they are ‘scared of the dentist’, which can have a significant impact on their dental health. The anxiety experienced by these patients once they get to the dentist is stressful not only for them, but also for the dental team.

‘Working under a state of increased tension may potentially compromise their performance, as well as lengthening appointment times. This is why finding a way of reducing dental anxiety is really important.’

In this study, researchers investigated the effects of lavender scent on dental anxiety. The dental anxiety levels of 340 adult patients were measured while they waited for a scheduled dental appointment. Some patients were exposed to a lavender scent while the rest were not.

Patients who were exposed to the scent reported feeling less anxious than the control group. This significant effect was present regardless of the type of dental appointment (e.g. routine check up, drilling). However, the exposure to lavender had no effect on the patients’ anxiety regarding future dental procedures.

Metaxia Kritsidima concludes: ‘Our findings suggest that lavender could certainly be used as an effective ‘on-the-spot’ anxiety reduction in dentists’ waiting rooms.’

Dr Koula Asimakopoulou, comments: ‘This is a significant difference and it was present regardless of the type of dental appointment.’

More than 700 psychologists from the UK, Europe and further met at the University of Bath from 9 - 12 September 2008 for the joint European Health Psychology Society and British Psychological Society’s Division of Health Psychology Conference 2008.

The conference, themed ‘Behaviour, Health and Healthcare: From Physiology to Policy’, will look at how psychology can be applied at individual and group level to promote health, and even prevent illness, at a national level.

薰衣草是牙醫的“好幫手”

芬芳無比的薰衣草竟然可以成為牙醫的"好幫手"，還可以緩解頭痛、失眠。

最新研究顯示，芬芳無比的薰衣草竟可成為牙醫的"好幫手"。

不少人或許知道，晒干的薰衣草不但能讓衣柜香氣撲鼻，還能有緩解頭痛、失眠症的功效。

而倫敦大學國王學院(King's College of London)的一組研究人員在經過340例臨床實驗後發現，熏衣草的香氣也可以起到為口腔病患者治療前安定精神的效果。

口腔醫生都知道，不少病人由於恐懼治療牙病的各種器械，往往會產生一種恐慌症。最嚴重的還可能一坐在牙醫診室的椅子上就昏倒。

鎮定安神

為了放鬆病人，有些牙醫已經嚐試過使用催眠等療法。

最新的國王學院實驗，分別在兩組不同牙醫診室展開。一半病人所前往的診室內點燃含有薰衣草香精的蠟燭，另一半去不點蠟燭的診所。

結果發現，嗅到薰衣草香氣的牙科病人中仍然感覺緊張的人數比沒有聞到香氣的病人在人數上有明顯減少。

負責領導這項實驗的科學家梅塔莎﹒克里希迪馬(Metaxia Kritsidima)表示："很多牙病患者由於害怕牙醫使用的器械而選擇有病也不治療，這就是為什麼找到一個能夠緩解病人緊張心理的方法非常重要。"

另一位參與實驗的科學家庫拉﹒阿希瑪科普魯博士(Dr Koula Asimakopoulou)也表示："無論病人來接受哪一種治療，聞到薰衣草香氣均起到比較顯著的放鬆作用。"

不過，英國牙醫協會的發言人表示："牙醫可以使用多種方法使病人鎮定下來，但是使用薰衣草香氣的方法還沒有聽說過。"