While the link between diet and mental health has been widely established, the specific association between diet and dental anxiety has not been previously explored. This study aimed to address this gap by investigating how diet quality and mental distress relate to dental anxiety. Data were gathered through an anonymous Google Forms questionnaire, which included an adapted Food–Mood Questionnaire and the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale, along with demographic and oral health items. Data collection occurred over seven months, from April to October 2021. Statistical analyses were conducted using Pearson’s correlation coefficient in SPSS version 25.0 and STATA 17 for sample size estimation, data handling, and regression modeling. In total, 506 valid responses were analyzed. Findings demonstrated that diet quality influences dental anxiety. Women showed stronger associations with dental anxiety than men (p < 0.01). High intake of sugary foods was significantly linked to various aspects of dental anxiety (p < 0.01). Diets rich in low-quality, energy-dense foods and dairy correlated positively with dental anxiety, while caffeine, meat, nuts, and leafy greens were negatively correlated. This cross-sectional research supports the hypothesis that dietary habits may be associated with dental anxiety.
