Evaluating the Impact of Aromatherapy with Essential Oils on Anxiety and Pain in Dental Patients: A Randomised Controlled Trial Using the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale

Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of essential oils in reducing dental anxiety and pain during root canal treatment using the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS). Methods: In this randomised controlled trial, 120 patients were selected after endodontic diagnosis who require root canal treatment, were assigned to 4 groups based on essential oils used. Group 1: Lavender, Group 2: Lemongrass, Group 3: Orange, Group 4: Control (n=30 each). Anxiety and pain were assessed using MDAS before and after a 15-minute intervention. Statistical Analysis was done using paired t-tests and ANOVA with Tukey’s HSD post-hoc test (p < 0.05). Results: All aromatherapy groups showed significant MDAS score reductions (p < 0.01) in the decreasing order: lavender (4.5 ± 1.2 points), lemongrass (3.8 ± 1.0), orange (3.2 ± 0.9), control (0.4 ± 0.3; p > 0.05). Lavender outperformed orange (p < 0.05) and control (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Lavender aromatherapy is highly effective in reducing dental anxiety and pain supporting its use as a non-invasive adjunct in dental practice.