Prevalence of dental anxiety in 10-14 years old children and its implications

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to provide insight on dental fear amongst schoolchildren and evaluate the association between caries experience and fear of dental procedures. METHODS: A sample size of 250 students (both sexes) of ages 10-14 years were enrolled in the study. Before dental examination, each participant was informed about the study and given the Children's Fear Survey Schedule - Dental Subscale (CFSS-DS) questionnaire. Children who scored greater than 38 were included in the 'with dental fear' group and those who scored less than 38 were assigned to the 'without dental fear' group. All oral check-ups were carried out on the school premises according to WHO criteria. RESULTS: There were 105 children (42%) who experienced dental fear. As CFSS-DS scores increased, scores on the Decayed, Missing and Filled Surfaces Index (DMFS) also increased. Scores were highest on "injections" followed by "dentist drill" and "feeling of choking". Children were significantly less anxious about items of dental treatment if they had experienced that particular form of treatment. Female participants were found to be more dentally anxious than the male participants. CONCLUSIONS: The data revealed dental fear in 10-14 years old children and showed that dental fear scores decreased with increase in age and experience.