The Effect of Anxiety and Stress on Acceptance of Dental Procedure before and after Inhalation Sedation in Pediatric Patients: An In Vivo Study

AIM: The study aimed to assess the anxiety and stress levels on acceptance of dental treatment in child patients approaching dental extraction procedures before and after nitrous oxide (N(2)O) inhalation sedation (IHS) by measuring serum amyloid A (SAA) and salivary cortisol (SC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 32 children, ages ranging from 6 to 10 years, were randomly grouped as TI (before N(2)O IHS) and TII (after N(2)O IHS). Saliva samples were taken for biochemical evaluation of SAA before and after the procedure. Subjectively anxiety and stress levels were evaluated using modified child dental anxiety scale (MCDAS). Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used to compare the means of dental anxiety, SAA, and SC before and after N(2)O IHS. The Karl Pearson correlation coefficient was employed to determine the correlation between dental anxiety and SAA and SC before and after N(2)O IHS. RESULTS: There were significant differences in the dental anxiety level in child patients after administration of N(2)O IHS, and it also showed an increased rate of acceptance of dental treatment. CONCLUSION: This study showed that N(2)O is a safe and effective method in reducing dental anxiety and increasing acceptance of dental treatment in child patients with improved behavior and with no adverse effects. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Anxiety and stress will always hinder the acceptance of dental treatment in child patients, especially during extraction procedures. N(2)O IHS is a safe and effective technique to overcome anxiety and stress in child patients and as well as allows them to undergo dental treatment with improved behavior. HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE: Kunta S, Arora RV, Jain R, et al. The Effect of Anxiety and Stress on Acceptance of Dental Procedure before and after Inhalation Sedation in Pediatric Patients: An In Vivo Study. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2023;16(2):302-307.