Abstract
Dental anxiety is very common; however, there is a lack of studies focusing on reducing children’s dental anxiety. One such initiative, the guided self-help cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) resources ‘Your teeth, you are in control’, reduces dental anxiety in children attending paediatric dentistry clinics. This service evaluation aims to investigate whether such CBT resources reduce children’s dental anxiety when implemented in general dental practice. A convenience sample of children was given the resources by their dental practitioner. There was no control group. Children completed the Children’s Experiences of Dental Anxiety Measure (CEDAM) prior to using the resources and on completion of a course of dental treatment. Overall, 84 children were involved, with a mean age of 10.9 years; 48 were female and 59 were living in the most deprived area of England. At baseline the mean CEDAM score was 20.3, and on receiving the resource and completing treatment the mean CEDAM score was 16.4, showing a significant reduction in dental anxiety (t = 14.6, (df = 83), p < 0.001, 95% CI: 3.4–4.4). The items that improved the most were worry over having dental treatment and dental treatment being painful. The service evaluation indicates a reduction in child dental anxiety following the use of CBT resources in general practice. Further evaluation, preferably a randomised controlled trial, is needed.
Highlights
Dental fear and anxiety vary across a continuum, from very mild to severe fear, with around 10%of children and young people experiencing severe dental anxiety [1]
The guided self-help resources were provided to a total of 84 children; seven failed to return to the general dental practice for further dental treatment, and none refused to engage with the resources between November 2016 and November 2018
The mean score reported in this general dental practice sample at the beginning of dental treatment was slightly lower than the anxiety reported by children with dental anxiety who had been referred to specialist dental services for dental treatment [15]
Summary
Dental fear and anxiety vary across a continuum, from very mild to severe fear, with around 10%. Of children and young people experiencing severe dental anxiety [1]. One possible reason for this is that children who are fearful of dental treatment are more likely to avoid or delay dental care due to their fear and this group of patients will typically experience more oral pain and functional problems [4]. Revealed that it is the fear of dental treatment procedures which are related to worse oral health-related quality of life in children [3]. Dental anxiety and avoidance of dental treatment are factors associated with worse oral health outcomes in children as young as 5 years old [6]
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