Auto-aggressive behavior in dental patients

Abstract

Auto-aggression can be defined as all actions that aim to inflict mental or physical harm to oneself. It can be caused by a dysfunction of the self-preservation instinct, which can manifest in life-threatening self-mutilation tendencies. Auto-aggression can also be one of the symptoms of psychiatric or emotional dysfunctions such as borderline personality disorder, psychopathy or schizophrenia. A dental appointment, being usually a source of great stress, can induce certain auto-aggressive behaviors as well as dental examination can show some lesions or abnormal changes of anatomical structures in the oral cavity which should be thoroughly examined and treated multidisciplinary according to patient’s behavior.