The Effects of Music Therapy on Vital Signs and Dental Anxiety Prior to Dental Surgery

Objective: Dental surgery is performed under local anesthesia and the patient's consciousness is clear during the surgery, resulting in increased anxiety in the patient and the development of surgical complications. To investigate the effects of music therapy on vital signs and dental anxiety prior to periodontal surgery. Methods: Having received their informed consents prior to surgery, in the scope of this study, a questionnaire including Corah Dental Anxiety Scale was applied to 35 patients admitted to Oral and Dental Health Centre's Periodontology Clinic for periodontal surgery. Vital signs and mouth opening measurements including blood pressure, pulse and respiration were performed. Then the music therapy was performed. In the application of music therapy, the patients were asked to take the position they feel most comfortable in, couchant or seated, and close their eyes while the setting was kept quiet. With headphones, they were exposed to the soothing sound of water and reed flute. After the application, vital signs and mouth opening measurement were re-evaluated. Results: In our study, 68.8% of the patients stated that dental treatment was not fearful but the rate of dental anxiety before dental surgery was found to be 85.7%. It was found that systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, pulse and mouth opening measurements of the patients were significantly affected (p <0.05) and no statistically significant changes were observed in the respiratory system. Conclusions: The music therapy performed before periodontal surgery was found to be a cost-effective, painless, non-adverse non-pharmacological sedative and anxiolytic on vital signs and mouth opening.