Dental anxiety in children and its relationship to dental caries and gingival condition

Dental anxiety in children and its relationship to dental caries and gingival condition
Issue online:
06 Apr 2005
Dates: Accepted 30 November 2004
To cite this article: DQ Taani, SS El-Qaderi, ESJ Abu Alhaija (2005)
Dental anxiety in children and its relationship to dental caries and gingival condition
International Journal of Dental Hygiene 3 (2), 83Ň87.
doi:10.1111/j.1601-5037.2005.00127.x
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DQ Taani, SS El-Qaderi and ESJ Abu AlhaijaD Quteish Taani, Elham SJ Abu Alhaija, Department of Preventive Dentistry/Faculty of Dentistry, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
SS El-Qaderi, Department of Public Health and Family Medicine/Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan

Saleh S El-Qaderi
Department of Public Health and Family Medicine
Faculty of Medicine
Jordan University of Science and Technology
Irbid 22110, Jordan
Fax: +962 2709 5009
E-mail: sqaderi@just.edu.jo
Int J Dent Hygiene3, 2005: 83Ň87
Taani DQ, El-Qaderi SS, Abu Alhaija ESJ:
Dental anxiety in children and its relationship to dental caries and gingival condition

Abstract:

The aim of this study was to determine the levels of dental anxiety, dental caries and gingivitis among 12Ň15-year-old schoolchildren, in Irbid Governorate/northern Jordan, and to evaluate the correlation between these variables. Two schools were selected by a simple random method from each of the five geographic areas in Irbid Governorate. All children (1021), from the 10 selected schools, who participated in this study completed a questionnaire modified from Kleinknecht's Dental Fear Survey (DFS questionnaire). Children underwent oral examination for dental caries and gingival condition, using Decayed, Missing and Filled Teeth (DMFT) Index and Lŕe and Silness Gingival Index (GI), respectively. Results of this survey showed that the prevalence of low to moderate Îgeneral dental fearĚ among the study population was 43% while that of Îhigh dental fearĚ was 10%. The self-reported Îgeneral fear of dental treatmentĚ was higher among girls than boys. Fear of specific stimuli (pain) was the most common source of dental fear. The sight and sensation of the anaesthetic needle and the sight, sound and sensation of the drill were rated the most fear-eliciting stimuli. The mean DMFT (2.89) and GI (1.80) of boys was not significantly different from the DMFT (3.37) and GI (1.53) of girls (P > 0.05). Spearman's correlation test demonstrated no association between Îgeneral dental fearĚ and dental caries (r = 0.06) or gingivitis (r = 0.007).

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