Genetics and Dentistry: Is Dental Anxiety Genetic?

Fear of the dentist isn’t something that people overreact to - it’s a legitimate mental health concern. It’s anxiety - dental anxiety. 

There’s more to it than just having anxiety over going to the dentist. There’s a reason behind it and that reason lies in someone’s genetics. 

How Genetics Play a Role in Fearing the Dentist

Does dental anxiety run in the family? Well, yes, it can but the reasoning behind it isn’t what you think. There isn’t a gene that is carried on from one generation to the next that makes people nervous any time they see a dentist. After all, genes don’t know what a dentist is… 

What genes can do is affect the way that people respond to sedation or numbing agents. Not everyone responds to drugs the same way because medication response has to do with how a person metabolizes them. 

Some people metabolize drugs faster than others do, which means the effects can wear off much quicker. It’s why some people require higher doses of medications to experience the same effects as someone who takes a lower dose. 

Due to the advancements in genomics, it’s now possible to analyze people’s raw DNA data to understand the ⁠effects of medicine on the body. This can help health care professionals choose the best medications and dosage for patients. 

Let’s get back to the fear of the dentist, though. 

Basically, dental anxiety may start at an early age. If a child requires a painful dental procedure, he/she may receive local anesthesia. 

What if the anesthesia doesn’t completely block all the pain? Or, what if it wears off much too quickly? If you answered, it would cause a tremendous amount of pain - you’re right! And, that’s a scary experience, to say the least.

Who wouldn’t have anxiety going back to the dentist after an experience such as that? 

Are Phobias Genetic or Learned?

When considering the above situation, many people will say that having a fear of the dentist is learned. However, it’s more of a combination of genetics and learning. 

People with certain mutations in the MC1R gene require a higher level of anesthetic in order to achieve true numbness. Hence, people with that gene mutation are more likely to have a fear of the dentist and that can be passed on from generation to generation. 

Genetics isn’t the only culprit, though. Of course, if you have that gene mutation, you likely learned to fear the dentist because you felt the pain from the dental procedure. If it weren’t for that dental procedure, you wouldn’t be so afraid of the dentist. 

So, there you go - dental anxiety is both genetic and learned. 

People with Red Hair Are More Likely to Fear the Dentist

Yes, it’s true. People with red hair are more likely to have the MC1R gene mutation that leads to needing a higher dose of novocaine or lidocaine. If they end up needing a painful oral procedure, they usually also end up with dental anxiety. 

Using Knowledge as Power

The knowledge of knowing mutations of the MC1R gene can cause dental anxiety can help parents protect their children. Genetic testing for a baby can identify this mutation early on in life. If a future dental procedure is required, the information can be used to increase the dosage for local anesthesia. This is especially true if the baby inherited red hair. 

It’s also possible to find out how drugs are metabolized in the body with the ⁠Medication and Drug Response analysis app. This also can shed light on whether a higher dosage of many drugs is required to treat many medical conditions. 

Parents: Consider giving your baby or child a DNA test to find out if they have the MC1R gene mutation. 

Adults: Consider learning more about ⁠medication side effects with DNA analysis. Not only will this information help doctors determine the best medications for you, but it will prevent them from prescribing prescription drugs that could lead to undesirable or even life-threatening side effects.