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dental phobia section

and can be classified into one of three categories, related to where
they sit on the colour wheel:
• Active or warm – on one side are warm colours like red, orange
and yellow, which can radiate warmth and cosiness as well as activ-
ity, passion and aggression. Red, for instance, can be sophisticated,
passionate and warm but can also raise the heart rate and blood
pressure and initiate the body’s fight-or-flight response.
• Passive or cool – on the other side are cooler, more passive
colours including blue, purple and blue-greens. These colours are
expansive and airy and tend to affect the mind, as opposed to active
colours which have a more physical, visceral effect. Colours such as
blue and green can have a tranquil, stress-releasing effect and work
well in a sunny room. However, they can become colder and stark
in a room without much natural light.
• Neutral – traditionally the “non-colours” such as black, white
and grey, neutral colours are neither warm nor cool but rather give
other colours space. A light shade of grey or a white, cream or
caramel will bring balance and space to a room. Black is a total
absence of colour which can have a bold effect when used sparingly
but shouldn’t be used too much.
Against this background, I therefore asked myself the following
questions: them? I am proud to say that the study was a success. My findings
• Does the use of specialized coloured lighting during the dental were clear and concise. Moreover, the hypotheses I had initially set
treatment have a measurable effect on the patient? up were confirmed to a great extent:
• Would it be possible to make patients feel more comfortable • Specific coloured lighting influences the stress levels of patients
during dental treatment by using coloured lighting? during the dental treatment.
I became so fascinated with this subject that I chose it as the topic • Red light increased stress levels compared with normal lighting,
for my bachelor thesis. I decided to study the effect of red and blue while blue light reduced them.
light on patients during the dental treatment and to evaluate my • Female patients reacted more strongly to these stimuli than
findings scientifically. My study included both calm and anxious male patients.
patients. • Young patients reacted more strongly than older ones.
• Patients who were anxious about their dental visit did not react
BODY PROVIDES INFORMATION as strongly to the stimuli as patients who were not afraid.
I used the technique of biofeedback to evaluate my test subjects.
This technique is used in the field of behavioral medicine. The I was able to make the following general observations:
process of biofeedback helps to reveal and measure physical reac- • Coloured lighting has a measurable influence on people.
tions. It is used to gain an awareness of certain physiological func- • Colours influence our feelings in many different ways.
tions with the objective of manipulating them. Biofeedback allows • These findings can be used to devise ways of relieving the anxi-
us to become more aware of unconscious bodily functions and to ety of people who are afraid of dentist visits.
make them perceptible and even measurable.
CONCLUSION
SKIN CONDUCTANCE: STRESS AND RELAXATION The findings of my study could benefit many different fields, not
Skin conductance is an important factor of biofeedback. It provides only dentistry:
information about the activity of the sweat glands in the hand. It is • Dentists could make dental visits more comfortable for their
connected with the nervous system. Therefore, skin conductance patients and relieve their anxiety to a certain extent by taking
delivers information about the agitation and stress levels of a per- advantage of coloured lighting.
son. When blood vessels constrict under stress, blood circulation • Interior designers could illuminate dental surgeries in such a
slows down. As a result, the temperature of the skin drops. way as to create a soothing ambiance for the patients, the den-
Conversely, if a person is relaxed, their skin temperature will be tists and their staff.
higher. • Hospitals and ambulances could use coloured lighting to make
Result: hypothesis confirmed the stay and treatment of patients more comfortable.
• Lighting manufacturers could develop special lights for dental
I was very curious about the outcome of my study. Would the practices and other medical or clinical treatment facilities.
results be useful and could realistic conclusions be drawn from

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36 Dental Practice // January-February 2021 // Vol 17 No 4