Association Between Preoperative Anxiety and Postoperative Pain Following Tooth Extraction: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background Preoperative anxiety is a common psychological factor influencing patient experience in oral surgery. This study aimed to examine the association between preoperative anxiety levels and postoperative pain intensity following tooth extraction in Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 229 adult patients undergoing tooth extraction. Anxiety levels were measured using the Dental Anxiety Scale (DAS), and postoperative pain intensity was assessed using a 10-point Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Data were analyzed using Spearman rank correlation and Fisher’s exact tests. Results Moderate to high preoperative anxiety was reported in 80.7% of participants. Higher anxiety levels were significantly associated with higher postoperative pain intensity (ρ = 0.448, p < 0.001). Conclusion Preoperative anxiety was positively associated with postoperative pain among oral surgery patients. Longitudinal or interventional studies are warranted to explore causal mechanisms and test anxiety-reduction strategies.