Prevalence of Dental Fear and its Association with Painful Oral Conditions in Adolescents

ABSTRACT

ABSTRACT Objective: To estimate the prevalence of dental fear and evaluate its association with dental caries and with Molar Incisor Hypomineralization (MIH) in schoolchildren aged 11-14 years. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 375 adolescents in Campina Grande, Brazil. Socioeconomic and oral health information was collected, while dental fear was measured using the Children's Fear Survey Schedule-Dental Subscale (CFSS-DS). The diagnosis of dental caries and MIH was performed by three trained examiners (κ ≥ 0.61) using the International Caries Detection & Assessment System - ICDAS II and a previously validated index, respectively. Data were descriptively analyzed using the Chi-Square, Fisher's Exact, and Poisson regression tests with robust variance (p<0.05). Results: The prevalence of dental fear was 18.4%, and the mean CFSS-DS total score was 28.96 ± 8.92. After adjusting for covariates family structure, schooling of parents/guardians, type of dental health service and dental pain in the last six months, the prevalence of dental fear was associated with dental pain in the last six months (PR=2.03; 95%CI=1.31-3.16; p=0.002). Conclusion: Although no association was found between dental fear, dental caries and MIH in adolescents, those who experienced dental pain in the last six months had a higher prevalence of dental fear.