Dentophobia and the Interaction Between Child Patients and Dentists: Anxiety Triggers in the Dental Office.

UNLABELLED

Dental anxiety is an intense and irrational fear of visiting the dentist or of undergoing dental procedures.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of dental anxiety in children aged 6-11 years and to identify the importance of communication in reducing anxiety in pediatric patients.

METHODS

The research was conducted through a questionnaire administered to 101 students (55.4% girls and 44.6% boys), aged 6-11 years, from the North-West Region of Romania. The data collected included the age and gender of the subjects, their previous experiences with the dentist, the identification of factors that trigger anxiety, and the way in which patients perceive future dental visits.

RESULTS

This study found that for the majority of participants, a visit to the dentist does not represent a source of fear. Moreover, most children are eager to visit the dentist again. Gender and age did not have a significant effect on the prevalence of anxiety. Elements such as sitting in the dental chair, observing dental instruments, having the teeth examined with a mirror, and hearing the sounds produced by the instruments were identified as factors that may cause anxiety in pediatric patients.

CONCLUSIONS

It was found that pediatric patients who have good communication with the practitioner display lower anxiety levels compared to those of others.