Quantification and Measurement of Changes in Anxiety Level in Preschool Children and Their Mothers through Multiple-visit Dental Treatment

AIM: The aims of the present study were to quantify anxiety and find the level of anxiety in the very 1(st) day of dental treatment and the pattern of change in the following visits and to find possible impact of maternal anxiety during dental treatment of their wards. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was conducted on 297 children aged 3–6 years visiting the Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry of Dr. R. Ahmed Dental College and Hospital for treatment. In addition, accompanying parents were also included in the study. The blood pressure and heart rate of the participants were recorded at three visits with a digital blood pressure and heart rate monitor with wrist cuff (Omron; Japan). The same instrument and the same procedure were employed for the mothers also. Blood pressures and pulse rates so recorded were tabulated according to age and were made ready for statistical analysis using the SPSS version 12 (Statistical Package for Social Sciences, SPSS Inc., Chicago, Illinosis, USA) software. RESULTS: There was a significant difference in blood pressure and heart rate of children in the subsequent visits. CONCLUSION: The majority of the children suffered from anxiety on the 1(st) day of treatment which gradually diminished in the subsequent visits. Maternal anxiety was also highest in the initial visit which gradually came down in the subsequent visits.