Gandhi Mehek, Lakade Laxmi, Kunte Sanket, Patel Alok, Shah Preetam, Chaudhary Shweta
Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry, Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University) Dental College and Hospital, Pune, Maharashtra, India.
Int J Clin Pediatr Dent. 2024 Sep;17(9):981-986. doi: 10.5005/jp-journals-10005-2919.
Gagging is a stimulated, protective reflex to prevent any material from entering the mouth or oropharynx. However, a hyperactive gag reflex is a common occurrence and anxiety-provoking stimulus while performing routine clinical procedures. Impression making is a clinical procedure that causes pronounced gagging and severe discomfort to the patient. As making an impression is a crucial step in routine dental treatment, it is imperative to make the process of impression making as comfortable as possible to provide quality dental care. Very few studies have reported on the effect of virtual reality (VR) and musical earplug temporal tap technique (METTT) in impression making.
To evaluate the effect of VR and METTTs on the reduction of the gag reflex in pediatric patients.
Sixty healthy patients aged 6-12 years were diagnosed with the presence of a hyperactive gag reflex using the Gag Severity Index (GSI). GSI scores of 2 and above were included in the study, and mandibular alginate impressions were made with standard distraction methodology, which served as the baseline level of gag in each patient. These children were then randomly divided into two groups. In the first group, 30 patients' maxillary alginate impressions were made with VR facilitated techniques, while the remaining 30 patients' impressions were made with the METTT. The amount of gag reduction was evaluated with the Gag Prevention Index (GPI) score during the impressions at intervals of 0, 30, and 60 seconds. Anxiety was assessed using heart rate, oxygen saturation, and the modified version of the faces dental anxiety scale following impression making.
Intragroup METT-facilitated impression-making showed a statistically significant reduction in heart rate. However, intergroup comparison showed no statistically significant difference in the amount of reduction of the gag reflex, oxygen saturation, or patient experience.
The gag reflex was not reduced by VR or METTT. Nevertheless, a decrease in heart rate during METTT-facilitated mandibular impression making indicated a reduction in anxiety. Hence, METTT can be applied as an adjuvant in patients with severe gag reflexes when making an impression.
Gandhi M, Lakade L, Kunte S, Effect of Virtual Reality and Musical Earplug Temporal Tap Technique in Reduction of Gag Reflex in Pediatric Patients. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2024;17(9):981-986.
恶心反射是一种受刺激产生的保护性反射，可防止任何物质进入口腔或口咽。然而，在进行常规临床操作时，恶心反射亢进是常见现象且会引发焦虑。制取印模是一种临床操作，会使患者出现明显的恶心并感到极度不适。由于制取印模是常规牙科治疗中的关键步骤，因此必须尽可能让制取印模的过程舒适，以提供高质量的牙科护理。关于虚拟现实（VR）和音乐耳塞颞部轻拍技术（METTT）在制取印模中的效果，很少有研究报道。
评估VR和METTT对降低儿科患者恶心反射的效果。
使用恶心严重程度指数（GSI）对60名6至12岁的健康患者进行诊断，确定存在恶心反射亢进。GSI评分2分及以上的患者纳入本研究，采用标准分心方法制取下颌藻酸盐印模，作为每位患者恶心的基线水平。然后将这些儿童随机分为两组。第一组，30名患者采用VR辅助技术制取上颌藻酸盐印模，其余30名患者采用METTT制取印模。在制取印模过程中，分别于0、30和60秒时，用恶心预防指数（GPI）评分评估恶心减轻的程度。制取印模后，使用心率、血氧饱和度以及改良版面部牙科焦虑量表评估焦虑情况。
组内METT辅助制取印模显示心率有统计学意义的降低。然而，组间比较显示，在恶心反射减轻程度、血氧饱和度或患者体验方面，无统计学意义的差异。
VR或METTT并未降低恶心反射。尽管如此，METT辅助下颌印模制取过程中心率降低表明焦虑减轻。因此，在制取印模时，METTT可作为严重恶心反射患者的辅助方法应用。
甘地M，拉卡德L，昆特S，虚拟现实和音乐耳塞颞部轻拍技术对降低儿科患者恶心反射的效果。《国际临床儿科牙科学杂志》2024年；17(9):981 - 986。
