Dental discomfort questionnaire for young children before and after treatment.

OBJECTIVE

To present a follow-up using the Dental Discomfort Questionnaire (DDQ) before and after the treatment of children, under the assumption that the number of toothache-related behaviors diminishes as a result of treatment, and to see whether this effect is related to the site of the carious teeth or to the treatment itself.

METHODOLOGY

Sixty-one parents completed the DDQ before and after the treatment of their child, aged between 30 and 59 months. The available dental records were used to assess the status of the caries and the consecutive treatment.

RESULTS

Overall, there was a significant decrease in the average number of post-treatment behaviors displayed by children. However, children with extractions during treatment or children with caries in their front teeth did not change their behavior. These children continued to have difficulty with chewing and biting.

CONCLUSIONS

The dental treatment of children leads to reduced toothache-related behaviors. Our study showed the DDQ to be a useful instrument for acquiring insight into the behavioral aspects of young children as a consequence of toothache or dental treatment, thereby underlining the importance of a behavioral approach in young children.