Evaluación del miedo dental en niños atendidos en la Clínica Odontológica Universidad Franz Tamayo-Bolivia

Abstract

Dental fear in children can vary in its nature, intensity and persistence, transforming into a negative and problematic behavior that the dentist must identify in order to provide appropriate treatment. The objective of this study was to evaluate dental fear in 190 boys and girls aged 4 to 12 who attended dental services in the city of El Alto, through the use of the Scale for the Evaluation of Fear in Children - Dental Subscale. Additionally, information was collected from previous dental experiences.
 The results obtained revealed a total mean of 30.7 ± 8.3 on the scale, which indicates that the dental fear is low among the children evaluated. Neither were significant differences found in terms of gender. In relation to age, the group of children between 10 and 12 years old showed a higher proportion (41%) of dental fear than the other groups of children of younger ages. The experience of previous dental visits is more frequently associated with low levels of dental fear, as opposed to the moderate and high levels found in those who attended for the first time. Choking, injections, and being touched by a stranger have been identified as causing the most anxiety in children.
 The present study concluded that the prevalence of dental fear in children in the city of El Alto is low and not associated with gender, but there is evidence that it may increase in older children and in those who had no previous dental experiences.