Gagging Assessment Scale: A Reliable Tool For Assessing Association Between Gagging And Dental Fear In Children Prior Dental Treatment- A Cross-Sectional Pilot Study

Gagging is a normal protective defence mechanism of our body that prevents entry of foreign bodies into the airway, which can create undue havoc during dental treatment especially in children. The present study aims to assess the prevalence of gagging and any of its existing association with dental fear and anxiety in children prior to dental treatment. A cross-sectional pilot study design was conducted in South Indian children (age group: 3-10 years) having no history of underlying psychological and systemic ailment. Different assessment scales of gagging (Gagging Assessment Scale [GAS], Shorter Objective Form of Gagging Problem Assessment [GPA-SF]/OGPA), dental fear (Children’s Fear Survey Schedule Dental Subscale [CFSS-DS]) and anxiety (Modified Dental Anxiety Scale- Faces [MDASF]) were administered to evaluate their response prior to the treatment. Younger children specifically females demonstrated severity of gagging reflex, which was directly correlated to their higher perception of dental fear and anxiety. However, no conclusive evidence of an association between gagging, dental fear and anxiety was ascertained. Prior knowledge of the gagging problem in children can help clinicians to effectively modify the treatment modalities for successful outcomes, while GAS could be a reliable tool for assessing its severity in children prior to dental treatment.

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Epidemiological Survey of Dental Fear and Anxiety in Children Living in Transylvania

Acta Medica Marisiensis ◽

10.2478/amma-2014-0033 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 60 (4) ◽

pp. 151-156

Author(s):

Réka Gyergyay ◽

Melinda Székely ◽

Krisztina Mártha

Keyword(s):

Dental Treatment ◽

Pearson Correlation ◽

Dental Anxiety ◽

Epidemiological Survey ◽

Dental Fear ◽

T Test ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Dental Practitioners ◽

Fear And Anxiety ◽

One Way Anova

Abstract Aims The objectives of the present survey were: 1) a systematic epidemiological investigation of dental fear and anxiety among children living in the central part of Romania and 2) to identify the most fearful aspects of dental care perceived by these children. Methods In this cross-sectional study 406 schoolchildren, 170 males and 263 females, aged 11-18 yearsfrom two cities, Tirgu Mureş and Sfintu Gheorghe were assessed. The subjects’ dental fear was evaluated with the Romanian versions of Corah’s Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS) and Kleinknecht’s Dental Fear Survey (DFS), the anxiety level with Spielberger`s State and Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S, STAI-T) and their opinion about dentists with Getz’s Dental Beliefs Scale (DBS). Questionnaires were completed anonymously at school. The study was approved by theResearch Ethics Committeeof the University of Medicine and Pharmacy Tirgu Mureş. For statistical analysis t-test, one-way ANOVA and Pearson’s correlation test were used by SPSS/PC statistics v. 17.0. Results The mean (±SD) scores of the surveyed subjects (mean age 15.69±2.06 years) were high: MDAS 10.65 (±4.5), DFS 38.68 (±15.1), DBS 36.93 (±11.9), STAI-S 37.90 (±10.9) and STAI-T 41.04 (±9.9), respectively. There was a strong positive Pearson-correlation between MDAS and DFS scores (r=0.73; p≤0.01) and a somewhat lower correlation between these scales and the general anxiety scores. Except for DBS, statistically significantly higher scores were found in females for every questionnaire (t-test, p≤0.05). The 11-year-old group presented the lowest scores in every case, while the peak was around 14 years. Age was a statistically significant factor only in case of DBS, STAI-S and STAI-T (one-way ANOVA, p<0.05). Drilling and injection were considered the most fearful moments of a dental treatment. Subjects claimed dental practitioners working under time pressure and communication deficiencies. Conclusions Having their special features, our findings were consistent with the local and international data. The subjects claim lack of time and communication deficiencies with the dentists. Identifying the reasons of dental fear and anxiety, might lead to solutions of avoidance or control.

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Prevalence of Dental Fear and Anxiety among Russian Children of Different Ages: The Cross-Sectional Study

European Journal of Dentistry ◽

10.1055/s-0040-1714035 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 14 (04) ◽

pp. 621-625

Author(s):

Maria Sarapultseva ◽

Maria Yarushina ◽

Igor Kritsky ◽

Roman Ibragimov ◽

Alexey Sarapultsev

Keyword(s):

Dental Treatment ◽

Analysis Data ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Dental Fear ◽

Categorical Variables ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Different Ages ◽

The Cross ◽

Fear And Anxiety

Abstract Objective Children’s dental fear may lead to an avoidance of seeking dental care or disruptive behavior during treatment. The study was aimed to evaluate the prevalence and scores of dental fear and anxiety (DFA) among Russian children of different ages with an experience of dental treatment. Materials and Methods The cross-sectional study included 371 children aged 2 to 17 years. Study participants were divided into three groups according to their age: 112 “preschool children” aged 2 to 5 years, 137 “school children” aged 6 to 11 years, and 122 “adolescents” aged 12 to 18 years. The questionnaires were distributed at reception areas of the dental clinic to parents of children aged 2 to 5 years and to the older children themselves. Statistical Analysis Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 15.0. The parametric tests were used (one-way ANOVA, Student’s t-test, and Pearson’s correlation) because of the expected sample of more than 100 observations. The chi-square test was used for categorical variables. Results The data have shown that 93.8% of the Russian child population visiting dental offices suffer mostly from moderate (11.85) levels of DFA. DFA was more often revealed in girls and among the youngest children aged 2 to 5 years. Conclusions According to the obtained results, children were more afraid of “tooth drilling” and an “injection of local anesthetic” than other factors mentioned in the questionnaires. Fear of dental treatment is common among Russian children, and the factors associated with it differ with the gender and age of the child.

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The effects of COVID-19 fear and anxiety on symptom severity, sleep quality, and mood in patients with fibromyalgia: a pilot study

Advances in Rheumatology ◽

10.1186/s42358-021-00200-9 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 61 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Damla Cankurtaran ◽

Nihal Tezel ◽

Buse Ercan ◽

Sadik Yigit Yildiz ◽

Ece Unlu Akyuz

Keyword(s):

Pilot Study ◽

Sleep Quality ◽

Psychological Stress ◽

Symptom Severity ◽

Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire ◽

Depression Scale ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Control Group ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Fear And Anxiety

Abstract Background During the COVID-19 pandemic, individuals faced psychological stress caused by fear and anxiety due to the high transmission and mortality rate of the disease, the social isolation, economic problems, and difficulties in reaching health services. Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic centralized pain sensitivity disorder. Psychological, physical and/or autoimmune stressors were found to increase FM symptoms. This pilot study aimed to evaluate the COVID-19 fear and anxiety level, and to examine their effect on disease severity, sleep quality, and mood in FM patients compared to control group. Methods This pilot study conducted as a cross-sectional study, and included 62 participants. Participants were divided into two groups: FM patient group (n = 31) and control group (n = 31). Symptom severity, sleep quality, and mood were determined using the Revised Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQR), Pitsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS), respectively. In order to evaluate the level of COVID-19 fear and anxiety, the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) and Coronavirus Anxiety Scale (CAS) were used compared to control group. Results FIQR, PSQI, HAD-A, HAD-D, FCV-19S and CAS scores were significantly higher in the FM group (p = 0.01). A positive significant correlation was found between FCV-19S and CAS results and FIQR, PSQI, and HAD-anx results in FM patients (p < 0.05). Conclusion This pilot study showed that, the individuals with FM can be more affected by psychological stress, and this situation negatively affects the symptom severity, sleep quality, and mood in FM patients, so these patients should be closely monitored in terms of psychological stressors and their effects during pandemics. More studies with more participants are necessary to describe the challenges lived by fibromyalgia population.

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Parental Knowledge Regarding Dental Radiography of Children Attending Dental Clinics in Ilam, Iran

Avicenna Journal of Dental Research ◽

10.34172/ajdr.2021.15 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (3) ◽

pp. 76-80

Author(s):

Vida Arzani ◽

Ali Bagherzadeh

Keyword(s):

Educational Attainment ◽

Dental Treatment ◽

Educational Achievement ◽

Parental Knowledge ◽

Average Score ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Dental Clinics ◽

Bachelor's Degrees ◽

Dental Radiographs ◽

Fear And Anxiety

Background: Radiological examinations expose the patient to the adverse effects of ionizing radiation, which is more severe among developing children. This can cause excessive and unreasonable fear and anxiety for parents and even disrupt the treatment process. This study aimed to evaluate the parents’ knowledge about dental radiographs for children referred to dentistry, and to assess the relevant factors. Methods: The present study is a cross-sectional analytical study examining parents of children referred to dental clinics from October 2019 to April 2020. The required information included demographic information, and nine statements for assessing parents’ level of knowledge. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), independent t-test, and linear regression were used to analyze the data. Ward’s cluster analysis method with a squared Euclidean distance was adopted to include the background and demographic variables. Results: A total of 108 parents of children referred to Ilam dental clinics – including 69 females (68.3%) and 32 males (31.7%) in the 24-51 age range, participated in this study. Among the studied variables, the level of educational attainment of the parents had a highly significant influence (P<0.01) on their knowledge of pediatric radiography. Furthermore, parents holding bachelor’s degrees or higher with an average score of 5.35 had more heightened awareness of radiography than those in other educational groups. Conclusions: Examining the parental radiographic knowledge revealed significant differences among three groups of parents with educational attainment in favor of those with higher educational achievement. In general, three biographical variables, namely age, gender, and household size were found to be less influential. Therefore, the dentists should learn about the educational attainment of the parents and provide them with the required information on treatment accordingly. Due to the relatively poor knowledge of the parents about children’s dental radiographs, it is recommended that plans be developed for raising the parental awareness of the issue in order for reducing their unreasonable fears which may create a burden for dental treatment procedures.

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Dental Fear and Anxiety of Kindergarten Children in Hong Kong: A Cross-Sectional Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17082827 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (8) ◽

pp. 2827

Author(s):

Madeline Jun Yu Yon ◽

Kitty Jieyi Chen ◽

Sherry Shiqian Gao ◽

Duangporn Duangthip ◽

Edward Chin Man Lo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rating Scale ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Dental Fear ◽

Oral Examination ◽

Kindergarten Children ◽

Caries Experience ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Fear Level ◽

Fear And Anxiety

Objectives: The objectives of this cross-sectional study were to investigate the fear level of kindergarten children in the general population during dental outreach in a familiar kindergarten setting, and to explore the factors associated with the dental fear of kindergarten children. Method: Consecutive sampling method was used to select kindergarten children aged 3 to 5 to participate in a questionnaire survey and an outreach service. A behavioural observation type of instrument for dental fear and anxiety assessment—Frankl Behaviour Rating Scale (FBRS)—was chosen to investigate the fear level of the children. Bivariate analyses between various factors and children’s dental fear and anxiety were carried out using Chi-square test. Results: A total of 498 children participated in this study. Almost half (46%) of the children have had caries experience, and the mean dmft score was 2.1 ± 3.4. The prevalence of dental caries was 32%, 43%, and 64% in the 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds, respectively. Only 4% of the children scored negatively for dental fear and anxiety (95% CI 2.3%–5.7%). Children at three years of age displayed more dental fear and anxiety than children of older ages, but the difference in dental fear and anxiety among the genders and caries status was not statistically significant. Most of the children (92%) brushed daily, but only 20% of them used toothpaste. Most (85%) of them had never visited the dentist, and over 70% of them were mainly taken care by their parents. High levels of positive and cooperative behaviour and low levels of fear were found in this population. No statistical significance was found between the child’s dental fear and any factors except age. Conclusion: Children generally displayed low fear or anxiety levels in a dental outreach consisting of a non-invasive oral examination and preventive treatment in a familiar kindergarten setting. Conducting regular outreach dental services to kindergartens by providing oral examination and simple remineralisation therapies could be a promising strategy to not only control childhood caries, but also manage and reduce dental fear and encourage long term dental attendance in line with the medical model.

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Prevalence of Dental Fear among 6-15 Years Old School Children

Journal of Nepal Medical Association ◽

10.31729/jnma.4791 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 58 (221) ◽

Author(s):

Sirjana Dahal ◽

Ashish Shrestha ◽

Tarakant Bhagat

Keyword(s):

School Children ◽

School Health ◽

Dental Health ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Dental Fear ◽

Treatment Modalities ◽

Care Utilization ◽

Government Schools ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Total Study Population

Introduction: Odontophobia or dental fear is a “unique phobia with special psychosomaticcomponents that impact on the dental health of the odontophobia persons". It is well documentedthat dental fear has a significant impact on dental care utilization behaviors. The objective of thisstudy was to find out the level of dental fear among school children studying in government schoolsof Dharan, Nepal. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from March to August 2017 among215 school going children of Dharan of age group 6 to 15 years. Ethical approval was obtained.Children studying in six different government schools of Dharan were selected using two stagecluster sampling method. The Children’s Fear Survey Schedule-Dental Subscale was used to measuredental fear among the study group. Data were entered in Microsoft Excel Sheet 2007 and analyzed inStatistical Package of Social Sciences 11.5. Results: This study showed that among the total study population, 96 (44.7%) had high fear, 62(28.8%) had moderate fear and 57 (26.5%) had low dental fear. Among males, 29 (34.5%) had highfear whereas more than half of the female respondents had high fear. Conclusions: The present study showed that most of the school going children had high fear ofdental treatment. So, school health programs should be planned to make the children familiar todentistry and proper treatment modalities should be provided to make the child comfortable to seekdental care.

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Objective and subjective parameters of oral health in South Indian children: A cross-sectional study

Indian Journal of Dental Research ◽

10.4103/ijdr.ijdr_259_17 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 29 (2) ◽

pp. 161

Author(s):

PR Geetha Priya ◽

Sharath Asokan ◽

D Kandaswamy

Keyword(s):

Oral Health ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Indian Children ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

South Indian

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Assessing the Need for Anesthesia and Sedation Services in Kuwaiti Dental Practice

Anesthesia Progress ◽

10.2344/0003-3006-57.3.91 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 57 (3) ◽

pp. 91-95 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Mohammad Abdulwahab ◽

Fatima Al-Sayegh ◽

Sean G. Boynes ◽

Hawra Abdulwahab ◽

Jayme Zovko ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Dental Care ◽

Dental Treatment ◽

Dental Fear ◽

Care Providers ◽

The Public ◽

Dental Patients ◽

Kuwaiti Population ◽

Fear And Anxiety ◽

To Receive

Abstract The objective of this study was to examine the public health relevance of the prevalence of dental fear in Kuwait and the resultant barrier that it creates regarding access to dental care. The study analysis demonstrated a high prevalence of dental fear and anxiety in the Kuwaiti population and a perceived need for anesthesia services by dental care providers. The telephone survey of the general population showed nearly 35% of respondents reported being somewhat nervous, very nervous, or terrified about going to the dentist. In addition, about 36% of the population postponed their dental treatment because of fear. Respondents showed a preference to receive sedation and anesthesia services as a means of anxiety relief, and they were willing to go to the dentist more often when such services were available. People with high fear and anxiety preferred to receive some type of medication to relieve their anxiety. In conclusion, the significance and importance of the need for anesthesia services to enhance the public health of dental patients in Kuwait has been demonstrated, and improvements are needed in anesthesia and sedation training of Kuwaiti dental care providers.

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Dental anxiety and fear among a young population with hearing impairment

Medicine and Pharmacy Reports ◽

10.15386/cjmed-556 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 89 (1) ◽

pp. 143-149 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Raluca Diana Suhani ◽

Mihai Flaviu Suhani ◽

Mindra Eugenia Badea

Keyword(s):

Dental Anxiety ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Dental Fear ◽

Care Provision ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Negative Experience ◽

Major Barrier ◽

Fear And Anxiety ◽

Dental Professionals ◽

Program Version

Background and aim. Dental fear and anxiety is a major barrier for dental care provision. Identifying anxious patients can help dental professionals manage them appropriately. The study aimed at assessing dental fear and anxiety among a deaf population in Cluj-Napoca, Romania and their associated and contributing factors.Method. In this cross sectional study 165 deaf participants were invited to complete a questionnaire comprising three sections. The first section contained questions about social and economical status, the second comprised a Romanian version of the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS) while part three was the Dental Fear Survey (DFS). Data was introduced and analyzed with the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) program, version 20.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, Illinois, USA).Results. Thirty four point nine percent (34.9%) of respondents were found to be insignificantly anxious, 59.7% were moderately or extremely anxious with 5.3% being identified with dental phobia based on the MDAS scores. Mean total score for dental anxiety on the MDAS scale was 13.7. Patients suffering from a prior negative experience were found to be more anxious (p<0.05).Conclusions. Dental fear and anxiety is widespread in the deaf communities. Higher percentages were observed among women and people with a previous traumatic dental experience.

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