Abstract
Dental fear is a common problem amongst children. It can affect children’s psychological well-being, quality of life, and oral and systemic health. The aim of this study was to identify whether the patients’ age at which visits to the paediatric dentist begin as well as the periodicity of these visits are factors that can prevent dental fear. This observational transversal study was conducted on 575 school children (average age 6.85 ± 0.78) and their mother/father/guardian. Parents completed a survey on the characteristics of dental visits and the child completed the index of dental anxiety and fear (IDAF-4C) to assess dental fear. The correlation between dental fear and age at first visit (r = −0.36 p < 0.01) and dental fear and frequency of visit (r = −0.65 p < 0.01) were statistically significant. The regression analysis performed showed that both variables predicted 44.4% of the dental fear in the child. In conclusion, the age of initiation to the paediatric dentist (before 2 years) and the periodic revisions (every 6 months or every year) could protect the child from dental fear.
Highlights
Fear acts, basically, as a system that alerts people to danger [1]
Our study aims to identify whether the patients’ age at which visits to the paediatric dentist begin as well as the periodicity of these visits are factors that can prevent dental fear
To know whether the age at which the patient first went to the dentist and the frequency of visits are factors that could prevent dental fear, a stepwise regression analysis was performed using both factors as independent variables and dental fear as a criterion
Summary
The oral region is very sensitive intervenes in important processes, such as speech and chewing. This contributes to the difficulties that dentists often face in their clinical practices, including the dental fear that affects children [1,2]. Estimations obtained in different studies show elevated variability in the prevalence of dental fear. Grisolia BM et al summarize that dental anxiety is a frequent problem in pediatric population worldwide, in school and preschool children than in adolescents [4]. Differences on the measurements, the methods, or criteria as well as changes on the sample or in the definition of dental fear itself may account for the observed variability [8]
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