Emotional impact survey of dental patients with tooth loss in Unsyiah Dental Hospital, Banda Aceh, Indonesia

Abstract

Introduction: Loss of teeth is a condition where one or several teeth are lost from the socket. Loss of one or several anterior teeth can cause esthetic disruption, loss of confidence, concerns about appearance, and lost function of the teeth, thereby greatly affecting an individual’s mind and activity. The loss of some or all of the teeth has many impacts, one of which is the emotional impact. Emotional impact is a feeling or assessment reaction that is derived from the nervous system in response to stimuli from the outside or inside due to loss of teeth, which is known through the categories affected, avoidance, depression, irritability, embarrassment, and feeling old. Aim: This study aimed to describe the emotional impact of tooth loss in patients at Unsyiah Dental Hospital, Banda Aceh, Indonesia. Materials and methods: This research was a descriptive, cross-sectional design. Sampling was done by random sampling method, which included 100 respondents. Results: The results showed that the emotional impact that can be caused by tooth loss in patients at Unsyiah Dental Hospital in the period from January to March is as follows: 50% classified as mild, 39% moderate, and 11% severe. Emotional effects of losing a tooth are as follows: 49% disturbed category, 7% avoidance, 7% depression, 4% offended, 30% embarrassed, and 54% feeling old. Conclusion: The emotional impact of tooth loss in patients at our dental hospital is classified as mild to severe, of which a mild emotional impact was found often. Clinical significance: Tooth loss is one of the common problems that often occurred at the dental clinic, and loss of teeth function can greatly affect an individual’s mind and activity.