Effect of deep pressure input on autonomic regulation during wisdom tooth extraction: From waiting room to surgery.
Journal
Journal of dental sciences
Journal Volume
20
Journal Issue
2
Start Page
1204
End Page
1212
ISSN
2213-8862
Date Issued
2025-04
Author(s)
Abstract
Background and purpose: Tooth extraction is a common dental procedure associated with heightened anxiety, particularly during the waiting period before treatment. This stress response is regulated by the autonomic nervous system (ANS), comprising the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), which induces excitatory responses, and the parasympathetic nervous system (PsNS), which promotes relaxation. Deep pressure input, delivered through weighted vests and blankets, has been shown to shift ANS dominance from the SNS to the PsNS, facilitating stress reduction. This study investigated the effects of deep pressure input on ANS modulation using a weighted vest during the waiting phase and a weighted blanket during the tooth extraction phase. Materials and methods: Healthy adults were randomly assigned to a control group or an experimental group. The control-group subjects underwent wisdom tooth extraction without deep pressure input, while the experimental-group subjects wore a weighted vest during the waiting phase and used a weighted blanket during the tooth extraction procedure. Heart rate (HR), low-frequency heart rate variability (LF-HRV), and high-frequency heart rate variability (HF-HRV) were measured to assess ANS activity. Results: The control-group subjects exhibited increased HR, elevated LF-HRV, and reduced HF-HRV, indicating the stress-induced sympathetic activation. In contrast, the experimental-group subjects showed significantly lower HR and higher HF-HRV, demonstrating the enhanced parasympathetic activation that persists throughout the tooth extraction procedure. Conclusion: Deep pressure input for high-anxiety patients can effectively reduce stress and enhances the parasympathetic activation during the wisdom tooth extraction procedure. After a large-scale clinical study, it may enter clinical application for high-anxiety patients.
Subjects
Anxiety
Deep pressure
Stress reduction
Tooth extraction
Weighted blanket
Weighted vest
SDGs
Type
journal article