Effect of Nature Sounds During Dental Filling on Anxiety in Older Adults

NCT07458451 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: ACU-NS-2026-01
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 78
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Dental anxiety is common among older adults and may lead to delayed or avoided dental treatment, which can negatively affect oral health. Non-pharmacological approaches such as auditory interventions have been suggested as simple methods to reduce anxiety during dental procedures. The aim of this randomized controlled study is to evaluate the effect of listening to nature sounds during dental filling procedures on anxiety, fear, and patient satisfaction in older adults. The study will be conducted at Artvin Oral and Dental Health Center with individuals aged 65 years and older who require dental filling treatment. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: a nature sound group, a white noise (placebo) group, and a control group. Individuals in the nature sound group will listen to recorded natural sounds, including ocean waves, bird songs, and light rain, through wireless headphones for 15 minutes during the dental filling procedure. Participants in the placebo group will listen to white noise for the same duration, while the control group will receive routine dental treatment without any auditory intervention. Anxiety, fear, and patient satisfaction will be measured before and after the dental procedure using standardized assessment tools, including the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and visual analog scales. The results of this study may provide evidence on whether natural sound exposure can be an effective, simple, and non-invasive method to reduce anxiety and improve patient comfort during dental procedures in older adults.

Conditions

Dental Anxiety

Keywords

Nature Sounds; Dental Anxiety; Dental Filling; Older Adults; White Noise; Patient Satisfaction; Randomized Controlled Trial

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• State Anxiety Score (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory - STAI)

  Change in state anxiety levels measured using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (State Anxiety subscale) before and after the dental filling procedure.

  Before the dental filling procedure and immediately after the procedure (approximately 15-30 minutes)

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Fear Level (Visual Analog Scale)

  Before the dental filling procedure and immediately after the procedure

• Patient Satisfaction (Visual Analog Scale)

  Immediately after the dental filling procedure

Study Arms (3)

Nature Sounds Group

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will listen to recorded natural sounds including ocean waves, bird songs, and light rain through wireless headphones for 15 minutes during the dental filling procedure.

Behavioral: Nature Sounds

White Noise Group

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

Participants will listen to white noise through headphones for 15 minutes during the dental filling procedure.

Other: White Noise

Control Group

NO INTERVENTION

Participants will receive routine dental filling treatment without any auditory intervention.

Interventions

Nature Sounds BEHAVIORAL

Participants will listen to recorded natural sounds including ocean waves, bird songs, and light rain through wireless headphones for 15 minutes during the dental filling procedure.

Nature Sounds Group

White Noise OTHER

Participants will listen to white noise through headphones for 15 minutes during the dental filling procedure.

White Noise Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 65 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Age 65 years or older
• Patients scheduled to undergo dental filling treatment
• Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score ≥ 24
• Ability to communicate and understand study procedures
• No hearing impairment that would prevent listening to audio through headphones
• Willingness to participate and provide informed consent

You may not qualify if:

• Use of antidepressant medications
• Presence of severe cognitive impairment (MMSE \< 24)
• Hearing impairment preventing participation in the auditory intervention
• Communication problems that may interfere with questionnaire completion
• Refusal or inability to provide informed consent

Sponsors & Collaborators

• EMRE ERKAL: lead

Study Sites (1)

Artvin Oral and Dental Health Center

Artvin, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Patient Satisfaction

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Treatment Adherence and Compliance; Health Behavior; Behavior

Central Study Contacts

Emre ERKAL, PhD

CONTACT

+90 5433750709; emre.erkal@artvin.edu.tr

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: SUPPORTIVE CARE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: PhD

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 4, 2026
• First Posted: March 9, 2026
• Study Start: March 15, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): March 15, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): March 20, 2027
• Last Updated: March 9, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-03

Locations

TU (1)