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Stomatologija 2013; 15 (1): 26-31 152 KB

Children’s dental fear in relation to dental health and parental dental fear

Jana Olak, Mare Saag, Sisko Honkala, Rita Nõmmela, Riina Runnel, Eino Honkala, Sára Karjalainen

Summary

Objective. The aim was to (1) assess the proportion of children with dental fear, to (2) compare results obtained by a single fear question to those obtained by using a set of 11 fear questions, to (3) study associations between children’s dental fear and their dental health, and to (4) compare children’s dental fears to those of their parents.

Materials and methods. A cross-sectional sample of 344 8-10-year-old schoolchildren from South Estonian primary schools participated. Children’s fears were measured with the modified Dental Subscale of the Children’s Fear Survey Schedule (CFSS-DS). The scale includes 11 fear items amongst which five represent less invasive (noninvasive items), another five invasive aspects of dental treatment (invasive items), and one question represents general dental fear of the child. In addition, two questions were included to assess parental dental fear. The dental health of children was examined using the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS) criteria.

Results. The proportion of children with general dental fear was 6.1%. The mean score of noninvasive fears was higher among the youngest than among the oldest age group (p<0.02). Children whose dmft/DMFT-scores were >0 had higher fear scores than those whose dmft/DMFT-scores were =0 (p<0.01). A total of 16.8% and 15.7% of mothers and fathers afraid of dentistry in general. There were strong correlations between children’s dental fears and maternal (p<0.01), and paternal (p<0.01) dental fear.

Conclusions. Children’s fears were strongly associated with untreated caries and experience of dental treatment, and with parental fears.

Key words: child, dental anxiety, dental caries.

Received: 27 09 2012

Accepted for publishing: 22 03 2013

¹Department of Stomatology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia

²Faculty of Dentistry, Kuwait University, Kuwait

³Institute of Dentistry, University of Turku, Finland

⁴The Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland

Jana Olak¹ – D.D.S.

Mare Saag¹ – M.D., PhD, assoc. prof.

Sisko Honkala² – D.D.S., PhD, assoc. prof.

Rita Nõmmela¹ – D.D.S., PhD, assoc. prof.

Riina Runnel¹ – D.D.S.

Eino Honkala² – D.D.S., PhD, prof.

Sàra Karjalainen^{3, 4} – D.D.S., PhD, assoc. prof.

Address correspondence to: Dr. Jana Olak, Department of Stomatology, Raekoja plats 6, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia.

E-mail address: jana.olak@ut.ee



	Baltic Dental and Maxillofacial Journal

March, 2013, Vol. 15, No. 1 CONTENTS SCIENTIFIC ARTICLES Caries prevalence and determinants among 12-year-olds in North-West Russia and Northern Norway Natalia Koposova, Harald M. Eriksen, Eeva Widström, Bjørn Helge Handegård, Mikhail Pastbin, Roman Koposov 3-11 Dynamical changes of occlusion and articulation during treatment of mandibular angle fractures Ausra Baltrusaityte, Algimantas Surna, Gaivile Pileicikiene, Ricardas Kubilius, Alvydas Gleiznys, Marijus Baltrusaitis 12-19 REVIEWS The Influence of the Design of Removable Dentures on Patient`s Voice Quality Kristine Broka, Aldis Vidzis, Juris Grigorjevs, Janis Sokolovs, Guntis Zigurs 20-25 SCIENTIFIC ARTICLES Children’s dental fear in relation to dental health and parental dental fear Jana Olak, Mare Saag, Sisko Honkala, Rita Nõmmela, Riina Runnel, Eino Honkala, Sára Karjalainen 26-31 5-aminolevulinic acid based Photodynamic therapy for basal cell carcinoma: A 10-years follow-up study Žans Griškjans, Aleksands Derjabo, Ingrīda Čēma 32-36 © 2013 Stomatologija		Stomatologija 2013; 15 (1): 26-31 152 KB Children’s dental fear in relation to dental health and parental dental fear Jana Olak, Mare Saag, Sisko Honkala, Rita Nõmmela, Riina Runnel, Eino Honkala, Sára Karjalainen Summary Objective. The aim was to (1) assess the proportion of children with dental fear, to (2) compare results obtained by a single fear question to those obtained by using a set of 11 fear questions, to (3) study associations between children’s dental fear and their dental health, and to (4) compare children’s dental fears to those of their parents. Materials and methods. A cross-sectional sample of 344 8-10-year-old schoolchildren from South Estonian primary schools participated. Children’s fears were measured with the modified Dental Subscale of the Children’s Fear Survey Schedule (CFSS-DS). The scale includes 11 fear items amongst which five represent less invasive (noninvasive items), another five invasive aspects of dental treatment (invasive items), and one question represents general dental fear of the child. In addition, two questions were included to assess parental dental fear. The dental health of children was examined using the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS) criteria. Results. The proportion of children with general dental fear was 6.1%. The mean score of noninvasive fears was higher among the youngest than among the oldest age group (p<0.02). Children whose dmft/DMFT-scores were >0 had higher fear scores than those whose dmft/DMFT-scores were =0 (p<0.01). A total of 16.8% and 15.7% of mothers and fathers afraid of dentistry in general. There were strong correlations between children’s dental fears and maternal (p<0.01), and paternal (p<0.01) dental fear. Conclusions. Children’s fears were strongly associated with untreated caries and experience of dental treatment, and with parental fears. Key words: child, dental anxiety, dental caries. Received: 27 09 2012 Accepted for publishing: 22 03 2013 ¹Department of Stomatology, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia ²Faculty of Dentistry, Kuwait University, Kuwait ³Institute of Dentistry, University of Turku, Finland ⁴The Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland Jana Olak¹ – D.D.S. Mare Saag¹ – M.D., PhD, assoc. prof. Sisko Honkala² – D.D.S., PhD, assoc. prof. Rita Nõmmela¹ – D.D.S., PhD, assoc. prof. Riina Runnel¹ – D.D.S. Eino Honkala² – D.D.S., PhD, prof. Sàra Karjalainen^{3, 4} – D.D.S., PhD, assoc. prof. Address correspondence to: Dr. Jana Olak, Department of Stomatology, Raekoja plats 6, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia. E-mail address: jana.olak@ut.ee