A cross-sectional study on the impact of children's Intelligence quotient on their behavior and anxiety in a dental setting

Aim: This study examined the relationship between children's intelligence quotient (IQ) and their levels of dental fear and anxiety(DFA) during their first dental visit. It also evaluated the influence of parental general anxiety on children's anxiety during this visit.Materials and methods: Eighty-eight children, aged 6­12 years, who had never visited a dentist before were conveniently recruited. Recruited children were subjected to the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children III (WISC III) and the Children's Fear Survey Schedule-Dental Subscale (CFSS-DS) to examine their IQ and dental fear and anxiety, respectively. Concerning parental general anxiety, General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) was utilized. Children's behavior at their first dental visit was assessed utilizing Frankl's behavior rating scale. The Arabic-validated versions of WISC III, CFSS-DS, and GAD-7 were used. The correlations were examined using Spearman's rank-order correlation coefficient (P<0.05). Results: There was a negative correlation between children's IQ score and their DFA levels. There was a positive association between children's DFA and their parent's general anxiety levels. There was a favorable positive correlation between the degree of cooperation and the children's IQ scores during their first dental visit. Conclusion: This study reveals the common occurrence of fear and anxiety in children during dental visits between the ages of 6 and 12. The findings highlight the complex interplay between cognitive abilities, parental influence, and dental experiences in children. It emphasizes the importance of addressing both child and parental anxiety to promote positive dental visits.

Preliminary study: Neurobehavioural Effects of Nauclea latifolia and Emilia Sonchifolia in Mice Infected with Plasmodium berghei berghei.

This study was designed to examine the effects of ethanolic leaf extracts of Nauclea latifolia and Emilia sonchifolia on anxiety, fear and locomotion in mice infected with plasmodium berghei berghei. Thirty male Swiss albino mice weighing between 26-30g divided into five groups with six mice in each group. Group 1 served as the Control group and was treated with 0.2ml of normal saline, Group 2 served as the parasitized non-treated, Group 3, was parasitized and treated with Coartem®, Group 4 was parasitized then treated with Emilia sonchifolia, Group 5 was parasitized and treated with Nauclea latifolia and Group 6 was parasitized and treated with a combination of Nauclea latifolia and Emilia sonchifolia respectively. The mice were passaged with the parasite intraperitoneally and then administered extract orally using an orogavage cannula for a duration of 5 days. Behavioural tests were performed pretreatment (day 6 after parasite passage) and posttreatment (day 11). The results obtained showed that grooming frequency and stretch attend frequency were significantly (p<0.001) lower in groups 3-5 compared with the Control group. The combined extract treatment in group 5 was significantly (p<0.001) reduced compared with the parasitized non treated group. Line crossing duration was significantly (p<0.001) lower in groups 2 and 4 but significantly higher in groups 3 and 5 compared with the control group. This preliminary study consolidates the view of herbal practitioners that the extract is effective in reducing anxiety and fear and enhances increases locomotion in plasmodium berghei infected mice.

Ansiedade, medo e sinais vitais dos pacientes infantis / Anxiety, fear and vital signs of the child signs of the child patients

Este estudo o objetivo de determinar os sinais vitais dos pacientes infantis, especificamente, presão arterial e frequencia cardíaca antes, durante e após os procedimentos odontológicos, relacionando-os com ansiedade e medo, avaliados através do Venham Picture Test (teste VPT), realizado antes e após o atendimento. A amostra constou de 44 pacientes inscritos nas Clínicas de Odontopediatria da Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, no período de fevereiro a julho de 2008. O teste VPT foi associado com gênero, idade, história médica e odontológica das crianças. A anáise dos dados foi realizada pelo Test de Friedman e a associação do test VPT com as demais variáveis foi estudada, estimulando-se odds-ratio e intervalos de confiança de 95%. Os resultados não revelaram associações estatisticamente significantes entre sinais vitais e reações emocionais. Porém o teste VPT mostrou-se um instrumento de avaliação de ansiedade infantil eficiente, especialmente em idade pré-escolar, das quais a maioria apresentou ansiedade. Quando associado à história odontológica, mostrou que criança com experiência negativa em consultas odontológicas são mais ansiosas, mas não apresentou relação com história médica e gênero. A adoção do teste VPT pelos odontopediatras parece ser uma sugestão plausível para avaliar a ansiedade e o medo nos pacientes, especialmente em idade pré-escolar.

This study has the objective to determinate the vital signs of the childlike patients, specifically, blood pressure and cardiac frequency, before, during and after the dental proceeding, and connected them with the anxiety and the fear valued through the Venham Picture Test (VPT) carried out before and after the proceedings. The sample was composed by 44 patients registered in the Clinics of Odontopediatric of the Federal University of Pernambuco, in the period of February to July 2008. The VPT test was also connected with genre, age, medical and odontologic history of the children. Data analysis was performed by Friedman test and the test VPT association with the other variables were studied with an estimated odds-ratio and confidence intervals of 95%. The result did not reveal statistically significant associations between the vital signs and the emotional reactions. However, the test VPT was shown a very efficient instrument of evaluation of anxiety in children, especially in pré-school age, which majority presented anxiety. When associated with odontologic history, it showed that the children with negative experience in odontologic consultations are more anxious, however doesn 't shown relations with the medical history and with the genre. The adoption of the VPT test for the odontopediatrics it seems to be a credible suggestion to value the anxiety and the fear on his patients, especially in pre-school age.