Comparative Evaluation between Lavender Essential Oil and Patchouli Essential Oil in Aromatherapy and Its Effect on Dental Anxiety in Children.

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Dental fear and anxiety is the most common distressing problem for children. Management of dental anxiety in children is one of the most difficult tasks in dentistry. Recently, alternative and contemporary medical approaches such as aromatherapy have received much attention. The potential effects of essential oils such as lavender and patchouli have been found to reduce anxiety, improve mood, and increase sedation. Thus, the study was conducted to compare the evaluation of lavender and patchouli essential oils used in aromatherapy and their effect on dental anxiety in children. Aim: To compare the efficacy of lavender and patchouli essential oils in aromatherapy and its effect on dental anxiety in children. Materials and methods: A total of 60 children between 6 and 12 years were randomly allocated to either an experimental or control group that received lavender and patchouli before dental treatment. Child anxiety was measured by using the Chotta Bheem-Chutki scale. A pulse oximeter was used to record the pulse rate. Data was tabulated and analyzed by Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software. Results: There was a significant reduction in anxiety score and pulse rate between the intervals. Statistical differences were observed in the lavender group compared to patchouli oil. Conclusion: The positive effects of both lavender and patchouli oil on children can be used to reduce anxiety in children. In our study, lavender oil showed slightly better results than patchouli oil. How to cite this article Tripathy S, Kohli A, Sharma K, et al. Comparative Evaluation between Lavender Essential Oil and Patchouli Essential Oil in Aromatherapy and Its Effect on Dental Anxiety in Children. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2023;16(5)681-685.