"The Effect of Lavender Aromatherapy on Dental Anxiety"

ABSTRACT Background: Dental anxiety is addressed as a common issue in adults, often delaying necessary dental treatments and impacting overall oral health. Conventional anxiety management methods may not be preferred due to certain limitations, therefore prompting interest in complementary therapies. The most promising therapy is aromatherapy. Aromatherapy uses essential oils for relaxation to reduce stress. This approach is non-invasive and accessible, making it a promising option for reducing dental anxiety. This study will examine the effect of aromatherapy in adults undergoing dental treatment, highlighting holistic strategies in dental care. Aim of the study: This study aimed to determine the effect of aromatherapy on dental anxiety among dental patients. Methodology: The study will be a randomized control trial, with 68 participants divided into two groups, Experimental (aromatherapy) and Control, randomizing through Sequentially Numbered, Opaque, and Sealed Envelopes (SNOSE). This trial will be conducted at dental OPD, Dr. Ishrat ul Ebad Khan Institute of Oral Health Sciences. The patients of both gender aged 20-45 years, requiring any dental procedure and providing an informed consent form will be part of the study. Patients with colds, asthma, or other respiratory diseases, acoustic problems, allergic to lavender oils used in the study and mental and physical disabilities will be excluded. It will be a single-blinded study where the examiner is unaware of group allocation. Questionnaires will be used to evaluate patient anxiety levels before the intervention and after dental procedure. Intervention (Aromatherapy) will be administered via nebulizer for 15 minutes. The control group will receive placebo intervention via nebulizer filled with normal saline for 15 minutes. Physiological data will be collected to measure stress response, including systolic and diastolic blood pressure, pulse rate, and oxygen saturation, using a digital sphygmomanometer and pulse oximeter at the start of the intervention (baseline) and at the end of the dental procedure.