Sense of coherence and dental fear/dental anxiety: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Aim: The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the association between sense of coherence (SOC) and dental fear/dental anxiety. Methods: Computerized searches were performed in six databases. Gray literature and manual searches were also conducted. Study selection, risk of bias assessment, and meta-analyses were performed. The results of meta-analyses were reported in odds ratio (OR), mean difference (MD), and confidence interval (CI). Results: After removing duplicates, 131 references were retrieved and the full texts of 12 were evaluated. Nine references met the eligibility criteria and were included. The results of meta-analyses demonstrated that individuals with a weaker SOC had a score in the dental anxiety/dental fear scale 6.04 times higher than individuals with a stronger SOC (OR = 6.04, CI = 2.62–13.91). Individuals with no dental anxiety/dental fear had a mean score of the SOC scale higher than individuals with dental anxiety/dental fear (MD = 5.39, CI = 2.21–8.56). Sensitivity analysis demonstrated that the result of a higher mean score of the SOC scale among individuals with no dental anxiety/dental fear remained (MD = 7.38, CI = 3.79–10.98). Risk of bias ranged from low to high. The certainty of evidence was very low. Conclusion: Individuals with stronger SOC have lower levels of dental fear/dental anxiety.