Changes induced by music therapy to physiologic parameters in patients with dental anxiety.

INTRODUCTION The aim of this study was to determine the effect of music therapy on patients suffering dental anxiety. In addition, a second objective was to determine the correlation between salivary cortisol and other physiologic parameters. METHODS 34 patients were randomly assigned to the control group and the experimental group. For each patient was measured for salivary cortisol, stimulate salivary flow, blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen saturation and body temperature. Student t-test and Chi2 were applied to analyze significant differences between the studied variables before and after the unpleasant stimulation causes anxiety for dental treatment. RESULTS Initially, both groups registered the same level of anxiety. In the second measurement, significant differences were registered in the salivary cortisol concentration, systolic and diastolic pressure, heart rate, body temperature and stimulated salivary flow for treated group with music therapy. CONCLUSION Music therapy has a positive effect in control of dental anxiety.