Paediatria Croatica, Vol. 55 No. 3, 2011.
Original scientific paper
PREVALENCE OF AND RISK FACTORS FOR DENTAL FEAR AND ANXIETY EMERGENCE IN CHILDREN
Elmedin Bajrić
orcid.org/0000-0002-5634-2902
; Stomatološki fakultet Sarajevo
Hrvoje Jurić
orcid.org/0000-0003-1567-8706
Sedin Kobašlija
Abstract
Discontinuity of dental visits due to the presence of dental fear and anxiety is one of the largest problems in modern dentistry. The present study investigated the prevalence of dental fear and anxiety and factors for their emergence in children. The sample included 120 patients divided into three age groups of 40 patients (age 8, 12 and 15 years), who visited the Clinic/Department of Preventive and Pediatric Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Sarajevo University. The prevalence of dental fear and anxiety was determined using dental subscale of the children’s fear survey schedule. The prevalence of factors for dental fear and anxiety emergence was also assessed. In the study sample, there were 14 (11.7%) patients with the presence of dental fear and anxiety. Study subjects generally experienced factors for dental fear and anxiety emergence as stressful regardless of age and sex, emphasizing pain experienced during dental treatment. Direct exposure to harmful factors was found to have a very important role in dental fear and anxiety emergence in our patients. Results also showed the higher the level of fear in parents to be followed by the higher level of fear in their children.
Keywords
Descriptors: DENTAL ANXIETY; PREVALENCE; RISK FACTORS
Hrčak ID:
74370
URI
Publication date:
6.9.2011.
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