Dental anxiety and dental pain in 5- to 12-year-old children in Recife, Brazil

• Published in: European archives of paediatric dentistry 2013-02, Vol.14 (1), p.15-19
• Main Authors: Colares, V., Franca, C., Ferreira, A., Amorim Filho, H. A., Oliveira, M. C. A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anxiety; Attitudes; Brazil - epidemiology; Chi-square test; Child; Children; Children & youth; Cross-Sectional Studies; Dental Anxiety; Dental Care; Dental insurance; Dentistry; Dentists; Education; Fear & phobias; Humans; Low level; Medicine; Oral hygiene; Original Scientific Article; Pain; Parents; Parents & parenting; Questionnaires; Socioeconomic factors; Statistical analysis; Toothache - epidemiology
• ISSN: 1818-6300; 1996-9805
• DOI: 10.1007/s40368-012-0001-8

Background Dental anxiety is a common problem, related to dental pain, which contributes to irregular dental attendance and avoidance of dental care, resulting in poorer oral health during childhood. Aim To evaluate anxiety, pain and/or discomfort related to dental treatment in 5- to 12-year-old children examined during a public holiday. Methods This cross-sectional survey study was carried out with parental permission in 970 children of both sexes. Socio-economic status, dental anxiety and dental pain experience data were obtained through a questionnaire answered by parents or guardians. Dental anxiety was measured using the dental anxiety questionnaire (DAQ). The statistical analyses were performed using Pearson’s Chi-square test. The intra-examiner agreement was high (κ = 0.80) and the inter-examiner was κ = 0.79. Results The prevalence of dental anxiety was 39.4 % and that of a history of dental pain was 44.9 %. Dental anxiety among children was associated with the child never having had a dental appointment. Statistics The anxiety correlated positively with a history of dental pain ( p