Clinical efficacy of periodontal endoscopy-assisted subgingival scaling and root planning and its effect on psychology and quality of life in patients with periodontitis / 口腔疾病防治

Objective@#To investigate the clinical efficacy and effects of periodontal endoscope (PE)-assisted subgingival scaling and root planning (SRP) and traditional SRP on the psychological and quality of life of patients with periodontitis.@*Methods@#This study was reviewed and approved by the Ethics Committee, and informed consent was obtained from the patients. Patients with periodontitis who were treated in the Department of Periodontology, Nanjing Stomatological Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University from April 2018 to December 2022 with residual periodontal pockets (PD ≥ 5 mm) 6 weeks after traditional SRP treatment were enrolled, and the residual periodontal pockets were further treated with PE-assisted SRP (PE+SRP). After 6 weeks of traditional SRP treatment and 3 months of PE+SRP treatment, clinical indicators, including plaque index (PLI), probing depth (PD), clinical attachment loss (CAL) and bleeding on probing (BOP), were measured, and periodontal tissue self-awareness scale scores, oral health impact profile-14 (OHIP-14) score and dental fear scale (DFS) score were collected. Moreover, visual analog scale (VAS) scores were collected after traditional SRP and PE-assisted SRP treatments.@*Results@#Twenty-three patients with periodontitis, including 832 sites of 486 affected teeth, were included in the clinical study. Three months after PE+SRP treatment, all clinical periodontal indicators, PLI (t = 9.254, P<0.001), PD (t = 50.724, P<0.001), CAL (t = 22.407, P<0.001) and BOP (t = 9.217, P<0.001), were significantly improved. Compared with traditional SRP (VAS: 2.48 ± 1.70), the pain caused by PE+SRP (VAS: 2.57±1.80) was not significantly different (t = 0,192, P = 0.850). There was no significant difference in the scores of the periodontal tissue self-awareness scale between the two groups (t = 1.485, P = 0.152). The OHIP-14 (SRP: 12.13±7.63; PE+SRP: 10.26 ± 5.25, t = -1.589, P = 0.126) and DFS (SRP: 40.70 ± 12.63; SRP+PE: 41.57 ± 12.61, t = 0.404, P = 0.690) scores were not significantly different.@*Conclusion@#All clinical periodontal indicators were significantly improved after PE-assisted SRP treatment of residual periodontal pockets, and compared with traditional SRP, PE-assisted SRP had no negative impact on the quality of life or psychological status of patients with periodontitis. Therefore, PE+SRP can be promoted in clinical practice.

Dental fear and its related factors among patients managed in a paediatric dental clinic of a university hospital in Tanzania

Objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of dental fear and its related factors among patients managed in a pediatric dental clinic of a university hospital in Tanzania. Material and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study carried out at the paediatric dental clinic of the Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) between November 2018 and April 2019. It included all paediatric dental patients aged between 6 and 12 years. A questionnaire used in this study captured information regarding patient's socio-demographic characteristics and the number of previous visits to the dental clinic. A fifteen-item Children's Fear Survey Schedule - Dental Subscale (CFSS-DS) was used to assess the dental fear status in these pediatric patients. Results: A total of 223 paediatric dental patients aged between 6 years and 12 years were included in the study. The mean age of participants was 9.52 ± 1.74 years with a male to female ratio ofl: 1.04. The means CFSS-DS score was 31.1 ± 8.57. Fear scores were high for Injections (3.37 ± 1.13), a stranger's touch (2.81 ± 1.08) and choking (2.69 ± 0.99). The presence of dental fear was found to be significantly associated with the parents' education level (p=0.001) and previous dental visits (p < 0.001 ). Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that the prevalence of paediatric dental fear was low among the participants of this study. The education level of parents and previous dental visits were determinants of dental fear in children. Injections, being touched by strangers, and choking were the common fear-provoking factors.

1 429 cases treated with nitrous oxide inhalation sedation in dental clinic: a retrospective study / 口腔疾病防治

Objective@#The use and effect of nitrous oxide sedation techniques in oral clinics were analyzed retrospectively.@*Methods@#Patients who were treated with nitrous oxide inhalation sedation in the clinic of the Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University from January 1, 2016, to December 30, 2018, were examined. Age and gender of the patients, dental treatments involved, reasons for nitrous oxide inhalation, sedative effects and adverse reactions were compiled.@* Results @#A total of 1 429 cases were examined, comprising 587 males and 842 females, and the average age was 32.64±16.34 years old. Among the patients who underwent nitrous oxide inhalation sedation in the oral clinic, 79.98% needed tooth extraction, and 79.50% had a dental fear of procedures. The patients were divided into following 7 age groups: 5-15 years old, 16-25 years old, 26-35 years old, 36-45 years old, 46-55 years old, 56-65 years old and > 65 years old. The sedation satisfaction rate of the 5-15-year-old group was 45.71%, and the sedation satisfaction rate of the other 6 age groups was 90.83%- 96.20% (P < 0.001). The incidence of total adverse reactions was 5.39%; the incidence was higher in females than in males, and the incidence was higher in the 16-25 age group than in the other age groups (P < 0.05). The most frequent adverse reaction was vertigo (81.82%).@*Conclusion@# Among the four common oral outpatient treatment programs including the extraction of teeth, dental implants, pulp treatment and periodontal treatment, patients undergoing inhalation sedation of nitrous oxide in the dental extraction most. The most common reason for requiring sedation is dental fear, and the sedative effect of the 5-15-year-old group was significantly worse than that of the other age groups. The incidence of adverse reactions of nitrous oxide sedation was low and manageable.

El Miedo en Relación a la Odontología Uso de la Escala del Miedo Dental / Fear in Relation to Dentistry Using the Dental Fear Scale

La atención odontológica despierta en numerosos pacientes, especialmente en los niños, miedo y ansiedad que pueden originar conductas de rechazo a la misma o dificultar el trabajo del profesional. Para registrar la prevalencia e identificar los miedos más frecuentes en relación a la atención odontológica, se realizó un estudio observacional, descriptivo y longitudinal en un trabajo interdisciplinario con Musicoterapia. Se utilizó la Escala del Miedo (CFSS-DS), Dental Subscale of the Childrens' Fear Survey. Los resultados en un promedio de edades en años 11,41; desvío = 2,80, registraron el 53% en la puntuación 38:39. Corresponde 54.34% al sexo femenino y 45.66% al sexo masculino. El mayor porcentaje de miedo se registró a los 10 años de edad 15.24% y en el sexo femenino 54.34%. En conclusión, registrar y reconocer los miedos dentales ofreció un espacio de reflexión y elaboración de los mismos, con docentes y alumnos de grado, para desarrollar, en un tratamiento interdisciplinario con musicoterapia, estrategias que favorezcan una mejor adherencia de los pacientes al tratamiento odontológico y habilidades inherentes y habilidades sociales inherentes a la relación odontólogo-paciente. El miedo manifiesto a la atención odontológica sin ser resuelto satisfactoriamente puede entorpecer las mejores intenciones del profesional en el desarrollo de su tarea (AU)

The physiologic and behavioral effects of midazolam in children with dental fear / 医学研究生学报

ObjectiveFor children with dental fear who refuse to take oral medicine, the advantage of nasal administration remains undetermined. The purpose of the study was to compare the effectiveness of oral and intranasal midazolam in children with dental fear by evaluating their physiological and behavioral responses.MethodsFrom January 2018 to May 2019, 112 children were selected from the Department of Stomatology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Baotou Medical College, Inner Mongolia University of science and technology. Children were randomly divided into two groups: the oral group (oral midazolam) and the nasal group (nasal spray was used to spray midazolam into the nose), with 56 cases in each group. The sleep status, crying status, movement status and behavior scores were recorded at the beginning of administration, binding plate, local anesthesia, 5min, 10min, 15min, 20min and 25min respectively. The scores of Ramsay scale and behavior were compared between the two groups.ResultsThere was no significant difference in sleep score between oral group (2.01±0.11) and nasal group (1.98±0.24) (P>0.05). The crying score [(2.0±0.3)], movement score [(2.1±0.1)], and behavior score [(2.0±0.5)] in the nasal group were significantly higher than those in the oral group [(1.3±0.1), (1.3±0.3), (1.4±0.2)], the difference was statistically significant (P0.05). ConclusionOral midazolam and intranasal midazolam have similar sedative effects for relieving children′s anxiety. However, the sedation effect was faster of oral midazolam, which can provide guidance for children in clinical oral medicine.

Miedo al tratamiento odontológico en escolares mexicanos / Dental fear among Mexican schoolchildren

RESUMEN Introducción: El miedo al tratamiento odontológico es una reacción emocional que se presenta en niños con una connotación especial. Puede influir en la conducta del niño durante el tiempo de la consulta e intervenir en la efectividad del tratamiento. El abordaje de sus características y de sus diferentes niveles de manifestación es importante para dimensionar este fenómeno psicológico y trazar estrategias futuras. Objetivo: Caracterizar el miedo al tratamiento odontológico en niños escolares mexicanos. Métodos: Se realizó una investigación descriptiva, observacional de corte transversal en 163 niños escolares de 6 a 12 años de edad de una escuela de Monterrey, México, en el período comprendido entre febrero y mayo del 2017. Se les aplicó la escala Dental Subscale of the Children's Fear Survey Schedule para determinar los niveles de miedo. Se asumieron para la investigación las variables sexo, edad y niveles de miedo. El análisis de los datos estadísticos se realizó mediante el programa SPSS versión 19.0 Resultados: Se destacó el miedo moderado con 45,4 por ciento y el componente asfixiarme de la escala con el 52,1 por ciento. Las "inyecciones" y que "un extraño me toque" constituyeron los ítems más relacionados con mucho miedo con un 42,7 por ciento y 47,9 por ciento, respectivamente. Se presentó la categoría mucho miedo solo a los 8 y 11 años de edad con 15,3 por ciento y 9,3 por ciento, respectivamente, así como el sexo femenino con el 48,4 por ciento. Conclusiones: El miedo al tratamiento odontológico en niños escolares mexicanos se manifiesta en niveles moderados, con una predilección a temer más a la asfixia durante el tratamiento dental. Edades tempranas de escolaridad, con ligero predominio en el sexo femenino, constituyeron las características más relacionadas con este fenómeno psicológico(AU)

ABSTRACT Introduction: Dental fear is an emotional reaction occurring in children with a special connotation. It may influence the behavior of child patients during consultation and affect the effectiveness of treatment. Addressing its characteristics and its various forms of manifestation is important to gain insight into this psychological phenomenon and devise future strategies. Objective: Characterize dental fear among Mexican schoolchildren. Methods: A cross-sectional observational descriptive study was conducted of 163 schoolchildren aged 6-12 years from a school in Monterrey, Mexico, from February to May 2017. The Dental Subscale of the Children's Fear Survey Schedule was applied to determine fear levels. The variables analyzed in the study were sex, age and fear levels. Analysis of statistical data was performed with the software SPSS version 19.0. Results: The scale components moderate fear (45.4 percent) and fear of suffocation (52.1 percent) stood out among the results obtained. Injections and being touched by a stranger were the items most commonly related to great fear, with 42.7 percent and 47.9 percent, respectively. The great fear category was present only at 8 and 11 years of age, with 15.3 percent and 9.3 percent, respectively, and in the female sex with 48.4 percent. Conclusions: Dental fear is moderate among Mexican schoolchildren, with a prevalence of fear of suffocation during dental care. Early school ages and a predominance of the female sex were the features most commonly related to this psychological phenomenon(AU)

A Comparison of Fear Levels of Endodontic Treatment in Kashmiri Population

Dental fear is defined as the patient’s specific reaction towards stress related to dental treatment in which the stimulus is unknown. Aim of the study: To analyze the causative factor of fear during endodontic treatment. Methods: A simple random sampling technique was used for the study and a sample size of 141 patients with an age group of 12-65 years, attending outpatient the Department of Operative Dentistry. The survey done was based on 5 questionnaires before and during endodontic treatment. Results: The percentage of the females was 55% while the males were 45% of the patients attending dental office, 57% of the patients were found not afraid of attending dental office, 62% of the patients were found afraid of seeing the anesthetic needle, 59% of the patients were feeling pain during removal of pulp, 55% of the patients were found not afraid of sensation of file introduced in the canal, and 57% of the patients experienced unpleasant taste of endodontic materials. Conclusion: The present study concluded that seeing the anesthetic needle, feeling pain during removing the pulp and experiencing the unpleasant taste of endodontic materials were the most causative factors respectively for the fear of endodontic treatment.

Evaluation of anxiety levels and their characteristics in dental care: Cross-sectional study

Context: Anxiety is defined as an emotion produced by a set of feelings and physical changes. Many patients are afraid of some procedures involved in dental therapy. Aim: The objective of this study was to verify the anxiety of patients regarding the visits to dental clinics of a higher education institution, as well as to observe the moment of greatest anxiety. Settings and Design: It is a cross-sectional observational study including 94 patients from the dental clinics of an educational institution in a city of southern Brazil. Materials and Methods: The Corah Dental Anxiety Scale, composed of four questions, was used to evaluate the dental anxiety levels of all patients. The sample universe included registered patients under treatment in the clinics of the studied institution, from August to November of 2016. We included only healthy patients over 18-year old who were subjected to surgical and nonsurgical procedures. Statistical Analysis: The data were analyzed through descriptive statistic to verify the frequency distribution of all variables. Pearson's Chi-square test, at 5% significance level and 95% confidence interval, was used to evaluate the association between the dependent variable (dental treatment anxiety) and the independent variables (demographics), aided by the SPSS software 20.0. Results: It was found that most of the participants were not anxious (69.1%) and the moment of greatest anxiety reported was before local anesthesia. In addition, statistics showed no correlation among gender, age group, and type of procedure performed. It was possible to conclude that the level of anxiety of the patients regarding the dental care performed in the clinics of the studied institution was low for both surgical and nonsurgical procedures. Conclusion: This survey revealed that the moment of greatest anxiety for the patients was before the anesthetic procedure, and gender, age, and type of procedure did not influence the level of anxiety felt by the patient.

Investigation of the impact of dental fear on Child Oral Health Impact Profile scores

BACKGROUND: The Child Oral Health Impact Profile (COHIP) is a measure of oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in children and adolescents. This study examined the impact of dental fear on the OHRQoL by comparing the COHIP scores of children with and without dental fear. METHODS: The OHRQoL in children and adolescents was measured using the Korean version of the COHIP. In total, 102 students (49 boys and 53 girls) filled in a questionnaire designed to evaluate dental fear and the OHRQoL in 2012 and 2014. RESULTS: In 2012, the group without dental fear showed higher COHIP scores than the group with dental fear; the difference between the two groups was statistically significant. In 2014, the same pattern was observed, but the difference was non-significant for all COHIP items other than those pertaining to social-emotional well-being. Comparison of COHIP scores according to changes in fear showed that the group with continuous dental fear showed significantly lower overall COHIP, negative COHIP, and low social-emotional wellbeing scores, than the group without continuous fear in 2012 and 2014. CONCLUSION: We expected children with dental fear to have poor oral health, affecting their OHRQoL; however, dental fear did not affect the OHRQoL.

Sedative efficacy of nitrous oxide combined with midazolam in extraction of impacted supernumerary teeth in children / 口腔疾病防治

Objective@#To study the sedative efficacy and safety of nitrous oxide (N2O ) inhalation combined with oral midazolam in children with impacted supernumerary teeth for extraction under sedation and to provide a reference for the selection of anesthetic methods for children undergoing impacted teeth extraction.@*Methods @#Sixty patients aged 5-10 years with maxillary impacted supernumerary teeth were randomly divided into three groups, with 20 in each group, as follows: the N2O group: N2O inhalation sedation before the operation; the midazolam group: oral midazolam sedation before the operation; the combination group: N2O inhalation combined with oral midazolam sedation before the operation. Sedation was performed before extraction under local anesthesia. The Ramsay sedation effect, Houpt behavioral score and incidence of adverse reactions were evaluated after the operation.@*Results@#The Ramsay sedation scale score was significantly higher in the combination group (2.75 ± 0.55) than in the N2O group (2.30 ± 0.47) and the midazolam group (2.40 ± 0.50) (P ＜0.05). Similarly, the Houpt behavioral rating scale score was significantly higher in the combination group (5.25 ± 0.64) than in the N2O group (4.70 ± 0.73) and the midazolam group (4.80 ± 0.69) (P ＜0.05). The adverse reaction rate was lower in the combination group (5%) than in the N2O group (10%) and the midazolam group (10%), but the difference was not significant (χ2=0.436, p=0.804).@*Conclusion@#N2O inhalation combined with oral midazolam sedation in the extraction of impacted supernumerary teeth in children can significantly improve the sedative and therapeutic efficacy and is a safe and effective sedation method.

Dental anxiety and influencing factors: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey

Dental treatment still remains as one of the most anxious visits despite awareness between dentists and patients in building trusting relationships. The fear of dental treatment determines the frequency of treatment availed with long-term implications in oral health maintenance. Aim: This study aims to estimate prevalence, extent, and factors influencing dental anxiety in a sample of the adult population visiting a private dental hospital in Chennai, India. Materials and Methods: The study sample included 300 consecutive outpatients visiting a private dental hospital in Chennai. Any patient aged 18 and above was considered for the study. A structured custom-made questionnaire composed of ten questions was designed to assess the anxiety levels of dental patients. The level of the patient's anxiety was assessed taking into account various factors that could influence their mental state. This included their age, gender, educational qualification, number/frequency of their dental visits, reason for their visit, past dental experiences, and nature of the dental procedure planned. Enquiries about the related time of anxiety manifestations as well as their preferred anxiety reducing protocols were done as part of the study. Statistics: The data analysis was performed using SPSS Version 11.5. Analysis initially was performed with Chi-square test for frequency and reason of visit, with the independent samples t-test used for assessing mean score differences along with Pearson's correlation coefficient. Results: The study revealed that dental anxiety has a wide prevalence rate encompassing both genders. Distinctive predominance among females (65.2%) and professionals (66.9%) exhibiting a greater degree of anxiety was identified. Pain and extraction have been cited as duress and anxiety inciting procedures (72.6%). Conclusion: This survey has revealed that age, gender, level of education, and procedure along with visit frequency has a direct effect on the patient's state of mind and anxiety.

Barriers in the Treatment of Early Childhood Caries amongst the General Dentists - A Cross Sectional Study in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India

Objective: To find out the barriers in treating early childhood caries in children by general dentists. Material and Methods: A cross sectional descriptive study was undertaken among fifty general dentists in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India, following a simple random sampling. Each selected candidate was given a barrier in childhood caries treatment (BaCCT) questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used to calculate the absolute and relative frequencies, mean, median and standard deviation. Results: The general dentists exhibited quite a few barriers in providing treatment for early childhood caries. The children don't like to sit on dental chair (74%), they don't like the sound of drill (78%) and they are fearful of dental treatment (86%). Providing care for children can be stressful and troublesome for the dentist (80%) and that they feel time constrained, i.e they do not spend much time with children (70%). Training in the field of management of child behaviour enhances their ability to handle early childhood caries. Conclusion: The general dentists should be given proper training in handling children in their curriculum or through continuing education programmes so that they can act as a larger workforce to be able to treat early childhood caries effectively and efficiently for the benefit of society.

The impact of dental anxiety and dental fear on the periodontal status and quality of life among dental patients

Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate levels of Dental Fear (DF) and Dental Anxiety (DA) among individuals awaiting appointments at the clinics of two courses in dentistry and determine the impact on oral health status and quality of life. Methods: An observational study was conducted with a sample of adult dental patients. Levels of DF and DA and the perception of quality of life were determined using questionnaires and periodontal data. Results: Among the 287 subjects, 71.4% were female, 7.3% were classified as very anxious and 16% were classified as anxious. Gender was significantly associated with DA (p = 0.001); 20% of the female volunteers and 6.1% of the males were classified as anxious. The frequency of moderate and extreme fear was 42.9% and was not significantly correlated with gender (p = 0.071). The prevalence of a negative impact from oral health status on quality of life (measured using the OHIP-14 scale) was 38.3% and income was significantly associated with this outcome (p = 0.000). Conclusion: Levels of DA and DF were substantial among the individuals analyzed. Women with a lower education were susceptible to anxiety. DA and DF were associated with periodontal status or impact on quality of life

Effects of Parental Styles on Children's Dental Fear in Jeonju / 대한소아치과학회지

The aim of this study was to investigate difference of child's dental fear and agreement between parent/child dyads according to parental rearing style.The subjects were 801 children aged 8 and 11-year old and their parents in Jeonju city. The parents were asked to answer a questionnaire which included four parental rearing style and the Children's Fear Survey Schedule - Dental Subscale(CFSS-DS) at home. Also, the CFSS-DS was completed by 8 and 11 years old children in a classroom.Authoritative, permissive, authoritarian and neglectful parenting styles were 53.4%, 45.8%, 0.2% and 0.6% respectively. Authoritative and permissive parents reported 5.7 and 7.5 points higher than dental fear scores reported by their children. At 8 years old, children of authoritative parents were significantly 3.9 points higher than them of permissive parents(p = 0.002). Also, parent/child dyads showed moderate agreement assessing dental fear at aged 8.Parenting styles are related to children's dental fear, and especially 8-year-old girls in authoritative parenting styles have the highest dental fear. However, as age increased, the impact of parental styles on children's dental fear decreased.

Current status and influencing factors of self-efficacy for oral self-care in patients with chronic periodontitis / 中国实用护理杂志

Objective To investigate the current status and influencing factors of self-efficacy for oral self-care in patients with chronic periodontitis. Methods A total of 357 patients with chronic periodontitis were investigated with the self-designed questionnaire, Self-Efficacy Scale for Self-care (SESS), Dental Fear Scale(DFS) and Medical Coping Modes Questionnaire(MCMQ). Results The total score of SESS was(58.66±7.27)points,which was at the medium level.In the scores of each dimension, self-efficacy for dietary habits was the highest,(20.42 ± 2.88)points,and self-efficacy for brushing of the teeth was the lowest,(18.37 ± 2.94)points.Multiple linear regression analysis showed that age,dental fear and medical coping mode were influencing factors of self-efficacy for oral self-care,which explained 53.6% of the variance. Conclusions Medical staff should pay more attention to the patients who are in low level of self-efficacy for self-care.Oriented by each dimension and influencing factors,specific psychological intervention should be given to reduce dental fear,improve medical coping style,enhance the level of self-efficacy for oral self-care and promote oral self-care behaviors and somatopsychic health.

Adaptation and Validation of the Malay Version of the Index of Dental Anxiety and Fear (IDAF-4C+) for Malaysian Secondary School Children

Background: Many questionnaires have been developed to measure dental anxiety andfear. Among them is the Index of Dental Anxiety and Fear Scale (IDAF-4C+), which consists of adental anxiety and fear module (IDAF-4C), a phobia module (IDAF-P) and a stimulus module(IDAF-S). The objective of this research was to report the adaptation and validation of the IDAF-4C+ for Malaysian secondary school children.Methods: This was a cross‑sectional validation study. The original English version of theIDAF-4C+ was translated into Malay, back-translated, and then sent for content validation via anexpert validation and face validation by the target student population. Three hundred and seventyquestionnaires were then distributed among 16-year-old school children. Confirmatory factoranalysis (CFA) was conducted for the IDAF-4C module using a bootstrapped maximum likelihoodestimator. Spearman’s rank correlation was used to assess the relationship between the IDAF‑Sand IDAF-4C modules. Intraclass correlation (ICC) was used to determine the stability of theIDAF-S and IDAF-4C modules, while kappa values were used for the IDAF-P module.Results: The response rate was 86.5% for CFA and 76.9% for stability. CFA showed theexistence of only one factor with a reliability estimate of 0.921, obtained via Raykov’s procedure.All items in the IDAF-S module were significantly correlated with the IDAF-4C module (P <0.001). The IDAF-S and IDAF-4C modules were stable, as determined via a two-way mixed modelwith absolute agreement, a single measure and a Case 3 ICC (A, 1). The IDAF-P module showedsatisfactory stability, as assessed via kappa values.Conclusion: The Malay version of the IDAF-4C+ is valid and reliable in measuring dentalanxiety and fear among Malaysian secondary school children.

Clinical and Individual Variables in Children's Dental Fear: A School-Based Investigation

Abstract This cross-sectional study evaluated the prevalence of dental fear and associated factors in schoolchildren aged 8 to 12 years old, in Pelotas, southern Brazil. Schoolchildren enrolled in 20 public and private schools were selected using a multi-stage sample design. Sociodemographic characteristics, children's dental visit and oral hygiene habits were assessed by questionnaires. The Dental Anxiety Question was used to measure dental fear prevalence. Children's clinical examination evaluated presence of dental caries (DMFT/dmft index) and gingival bleeding. Data were analyzed using Poisson regression with robust variance (prevalence ratio; 95% confidence interval). One thousand two hundred and two children were included. Dental fear prevalence was 24.6%. After the adjustment, girls [PR=1.71 (CI 95%: 1.31-2.22)], children from poorer families [PR=1.96 (CI 95%: 1.36-2.83)], those who had decayed teeth (D/d index>0)[PR=1.32 (CI 95%: 1.01-1.72), and who had never been at the dentist [PR=1.85 (CI 95%: 1.42-2.41) remained significantly associated with dental fear. The prevalence of dental fear indicates that it is a common problem among schoolchildren. Early dental care and dental caries prevention are important factors to prevent dental fear.

Resumo Este estudo transversal avaliou a prevalência do medo odontológico e fatores associados em escolares de 8 a 12 anos de idade, na cidade de Pelotas, RS, Brasil. Alunos matriculados em 20 escolas públicas e privadas foram selecionados através de um delineamento de conglomerado em duplo estágio. As características sociodemográficas, a experiência odontológica da criança e os hábitos de higiene bucal foram avaliados por meio de questionários. O medo odontológico da criança foi avaliado através da Dental Anxiety Question. Examinadores calibrados avaliaram a presença de cárie dentária (CPOD) e o índice de sangramento gengival. Os dados foram analisados por meio de regressão de Poisson com variância robusta (razão de prevalência; 95% intervalo de confiança). No total, 1202 crianças foram incluídas. A prevalência medo odontológico foi de 24,6%. Após o ajuste, as meninas [RP=1,71 (IC 95%: 1,31-2,22)], as crianças de famílias mais pobres [RP=1,96 (IC 95%: 1,36-2,83)], com lesões de cárie (D/d index>0) [RP=1,32 (IC 95%: 1,01-1,72) e as que nunca tinham ido ao dentista [RP=1,85 (IC 95%: 1,42-2,41) permaneceram significativamente associadas ao medo dental. A prevalência de medo odontológico encontrada indica que este é um problema comum em escolares. O atendimento odontológico precoce e a prevenção de cárie são fatores importantes para evitar o medo.

Factors Affecting Dental Fear in Korean Adolescents

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the dental fear experienced among Korean adolescents and to identify the relevant factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In order to compare the level of dental fear depending on the subjects' previous experience, descriptive statistical analysis was performed. Gender- and grade-dependent evaluation was performed according to the presence of their previous dental visit and dental fear. Subjective oral health status was also investigated. In order to determine the factors affecting dental fear, logistic regression analysis was performed. RESULT: Among the total of 333 subjects who had experienced dental fear, females were found to experience 1.766 times greater dental fear than males (P=0.007). The worse subjective perception of their oral health was associated with increase in the experience of dental fear by 1.245-fold (P=0.047). CONCLUSION: The dental fear was likely to be formed during the visit to the dentist's office or through previous experience of dental treatment. Therefore in order to reduce the fear associated with dental treatment in adolescents, establishemnt of a proper environment in the dental clinic and a patient management program are necessitated.

The relationship between subjective oral health and dental fear in Korean adolescents

BACKGROUND: This study is aimed to evaluate the level of fear and to reduce the overall fear, thereby enabling patients to receive treatment via timely visits. METHODS: In a survey conducted by 460 South Korean middle school students, we used 453 data that faithfully responded to the survey. Multiple regression analysis was conducted to investigate the factors influencing subjective oral health and dental fear. The significance level used for statistical significance was α = 0.05. RESULTS: The level of fear was higher for upper grade, female students. The factors affecting dental fear were higher for gingival bleeding and dental pain. Regarding factors for dental fear affecting subjective oral health, lower fear of puncture needle and tooth removal tool resulted in higher subjective oral health. CONCLUSION: The study found that adolescents had higher fear of dental care when they had gingival bleeding and tooth pain. Gingival bleeding is a symptom of early gingival disease and dental pain is likely due to advanced dental caries. These results suggested that it is necessary to have a program to reduce dental fear and anxiety as well as a program to prevent dental diseases through regular periodic screening and education.

Ansiedad dental en adultos chilenos que concurren a un servicio de salud primaria / Dental anxiety in Chilean adults who attend a primary care health service

El objetivo fue identificar el nivel de ansiedad dental en una muestra de adultos chilenos que concurren a un servicio de atención de salud primaria. Se realizó un estudio transversal, obteniendo una muestra de 174 adultos, con edades entre los 20 y 70 años, pertenecientes al área urbana de Santiago de Chile, y que acudían en calidad de acompañantes de niños(as) que asistían a atención dental. Se registraron datos socio-demográficos y fecha de último control dental. Se aplicó la escala de ansiedad dental de Corah. Se realizaron estadísticos descriptivos, prueba t, prueba U de Mann Whitney y prueba de Spearman. Se trabajó con un error de significancia del 5 %. Un 37,9% de la muestra presentó ansiedad dental, en sus niveles moderado (16,1 %), severo (13,2 %) y fobia dental (8,6 %). A nivel educacional, los sujetos con educación básica completa presentaron la mayor frecuencia (57,1 %) de ansiedad, mientras que los de educación superior incompleta presentaron la menor frecuencia (25 %). No se observaron asociaciones entre ansiedad dental y edad, sexo, nivel educacional, índice per cápita y último control dental. La muestra de adultos encuestados de Santiago de Chile presentó altos niveles de ansiedad dental en comparación con países desarrollados. Se recomienda realizar más estudios en dicha población para determinar las variables que explican el problema de la ansiedad dental en la población chilena.

The objective of this study is to identify the level of dental anxiety in a sample of Chilean adults who attend a service of primary health care. A cross-sectional study was carried out. The sample consisted of 174 caregivers of pediatric dental patients, aged between 20 and 70 years, belonging to the urban area of Santiago de Chile. A questionnaire that included socio-demographic information (sex, age, educational level, income per capita index and last dental visit) were registered. Corah's Dental Anxiety Scale was applied. Descriptive statistics and t-test, U-Mann Whitney test and Spearman test was used. An error of significance of 5% was applied. 37.9 % of thesample shows dental anxiety in their moderate levels (16.1 %), severe (13.2 %) and dental phobia (8.6 %). Of the subjects who had dental anxiety, the majority had moderate anxiety (42.4 %). In an educational level, subjects with complete basic education have the highest rate (57.1 %) of anxiety, while incomplete higher education had the lowest rate (25 %). Adults between 50 and 59 years reported greater presence of dental anxiety. There were not significant associations between dental anxiety and age, sex, educational level, per capita rate and last dental visit. The sample of adults surveyed in Santiago de Chile presented high levels of dental anxiety compared to other developed countries. We recommend further studies in this population to determine the variables that explain the problem of dental anxiety in the Chilean population.