Effect of Listening to Light Music on Salivary Cortisol Secretion in Dental Students

 One of the common concerns among dental students is stress during practical exams. Based on the available studies, stress might increase salivary cortisol levels. On the other hand, light music has a significant role in decreasing stress. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of listening to light music on salivary cortisol levels in dental students.

 In this cross-over study, 20 students of the Islamic Azad University in Tehran were selected using an objective-biased method and divided into two groups of A and B. The subjects were given a practical tooth preparation test. Light music was first played for group A subjects and then for group B subjects. On both exam days, 1 mL of unstimulated salivary samples were collected in a special container from all subjects before and after the exam and 5 minutes after they washed their mouth with water. The samples were sent to the laboratory for measuring salivary cortisol levels. Data were analyzed with the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test and paired t-test using SPSS 22.

 In the group which listened to light music while sitting for the exam in the first week, there was a significant difference in the salivary cortisol levels before and after the first test at around 1.07 ± 1.19 (p value = 0.019), with higher levels of cortisol before the exam. In the second-week group, there was a significant difference in salivary cortisol levels after the first exam at around 0.57 ± 0.29 (p value = 0.001), with higher cortisol levels before the exam.

 Listening to light music decreased salivary cortisol levels, indicating lower stress levels.