Dental and Medical Problems

Dent Med Probl
Index Copernicus (ICV 2021) – 132.50
MEiN – 70 pts
CiteScore (2021) – 2.0
JCI (2021) – 0.5
Average rejection rate (2022) – 79.69%
ISSN 1644-387X (print)
ISSN 2300-9020 (online)
Periodicity – quarterly

Download PDF

Dental and Medical Problems

2015, vol. 52, nr 3, July-September, p. 309–315

Publication type: original article

Language: English

Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 3.0 Open Access

Numerical Scale for Anxiety Assessement in 10–15 Years Children Undergoing Dental Treatment

Zastosowanie skali numerycznej do oceny poziomu lęku u dzieci 10–15-letnich przed zabiegami stomatologicznymi

Magdalena Kowalińska-Kania1,A,B,C,D,F, Damian Nowak2,C,D,F, Martyna Waliczek3,B,F, Monika Skowron4,B,F, Wojciech Roczniak2,D,F, Aleksandra Żelazko2,B,F, Przemysław Grzegorz Nowak2,A,D,F

1 Non Public Health Care Facility M@B Kania, Katowice, Poland

2 Department of Toxicology and Health Protection, Public Health Faculty in Bytom, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland

3 Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Public Health Faculty in Bytom, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland

4 Non Public Health Care Facility Duo-Dent, Czarnowąsy, Poland

Abstract

Background. Anxiety associated with dental procedures can be assessed by means of numerous scales and questionnaires. However, their completion by patients and interpretation by doctors are time-consuming.
Objectives. The aim of this study was to verify the hypothesis of legitimate and possible use of a numerical scale (NRS) to assess the intensity of anxiety in children before dental treatment.
Material and Methods. The study group consisted of 250 respondents aged 10–15 years. Before entering surgery, they were asked to fill in a proprietary survey and a number of questionnaires: Corah Dental Anxiety Scale (CDAS), Dental Belief Survey (DBS), Children Fear Survey Schedule-Dental Subscale (CFSS-DS) and NRS. Data were analyzed with Mann-Whitney test. Correlation was evaluated with Spearman test.
Results. Among the respondents, 56% were girls, 44% boys. The CDAS questionnaire showed that 41% of children were anxious, the CFSS-DS questionnaire revealed that 56% experienced a slight fear before dental appointment (the term „anxious” and „slight fear” can be considered similar). Assessing the level of anxiety using the NRS questionnaire, it was found that 40% reported low anxiety and 30% moderate anxiety. The majority of the respondents (64%) showed great trust towards the dentist, with girls displaying significantly higher level of confidence. However, gender was not found to affect the level of anxiety. A high correlation was noted between the results provided by the NRS vs. CDAS, NRS vs. CFSS-DS, and CDAS vs. CFSS-DS. The results also indicated that the higher the confidence the lower the level of anxiety towards dental treatment.
Conclusion. The NRS is a reliable tool to assess the level of anxiety in children aged 10–15 years. The unquestionable advantage of this method is short time of completion and simple interpretation of results.

Key words

children, dental anxiety, questionnaires measuring anxiety, numerical scale

Słowa kluczowe

dzieci, lęk dentystyczny, metody oceny lęku, skala numeryczna

References (31)

  1. Kaczmarek U., Wilk-Sieczak B.: Methods of evaluation of dental anxiety in children and adults. Dent. Med. Probl. 2006, 43, 596–601 [in Polish].
  2. Armfield J.M., Heaton L.J.: Management of fear and anxiety in the dental clinic: a review. Aust. Dent. J. 2013, 58, 390–407.
  3. Klichowski L.: Anxiety, fear, panic – reasons and prevention methods. Wydawnictwo Printer, Poznań 1994 [in Polish].
  4. Wilk-Sieczak B., Zakrzewski M., Chmielewska-Łuczak D.: Mothers fear of dental treatment and the cause of the first visits of the child, and factors predicting negative preschool child’s attitudes during dental treatment. Dent. Med. Probl. 2005, 42, 77–82 [in Polish].
  5. Berggren U., Meynert G.: Dental fear and avoidance: causes, symptoms, and consequences. J. Am. Dent. Assoc. 1984, 109, 247–250.
  6. Kaczmarek U., Kanaffa-Kiljańska U., Frydecka D.: Methods for evaluation of dental anxiety in adults. Dent. Med. Probl. 2010, 47, 97–100 [in Polish].
  7. Muppa R., Bhupatiraju P., Duddu M., Penumatsa N.V., Dandempally A., Panthula P.: Comparison of anxiety levels associated with noise in the dental clinic among children of age group 6–15 years. Noise Health 2013, 15, 190–193.
  8. Rodak-Mandalian K.: Some remarks about dentophobia, can one start to like a dentist. Nowa Stomatol. 2005, 10, 110–112 [in Polish].
  9. Boman U.W., Wennström A., Stenman U., Hakeberg M.: Oral health-related quality of life, sense of coherence and dental anxiety: an epidemiological cross-sectional study of middle-aged women. BMC Oral Health, 2012, 18, 12, 14. URL: 10.1186/1472-6831-12-14.
  10. Johnston L., Vieira A.R.: Caries experience and overall health status. Oral Health Prev. Dent. 2014, 12, 163–170.
  11. Millar K., Jelicic M., Bonke B., Asbury A.J.: Assessment of preoperative anxiety: comparison of measures in patients awaiting surgery for breast cancer. B.J. Anaesth. 1995, 74, 180–183.
  12. Kindler C.H., Harms C., Amsler F., Ihde-Scholl T., Scheidegger D.: The visual analog scale allows effective measurement of preoperative anxiety and detection of patient’s anesthetic concerns. Anesth. Analg. 2000, 90, 706–712.
  13. Corah N.L., Gale E.N., IIIig S.J.: Assessment of a dental anxiety scale. J. Am. Dent. Assoc. 1978, 103, 816–819.
  14. Merks K., Jaworska-Zaremba M., Fábián T.K., Mierzwińska-Nastalska E.: The analysis of dental fear scores in the Polish minority living in Hungary. Prot. Stomatol. 2010,57 102–111 [in Polish].
  15. Armfield J.M.: How do we measure dental fear and what are we measuring anyway? Oral Health Prev. Dent. 2010, 8, 107–115.
  16. Armfield J.M., Spencer A.J., Stewart J.F.: Dental fear in Australia: who’s afraid of the dentist? Aust. Dent. J. 2006, 51, 78–85.
  17. Locker D., Shapiro D., Liddell A.: Negative dental experiences and their relationship to dental anxiety. Community Dent. Health. 1996, 13, 86–92.
  18. Klingberg G.: Dental fear and behavior management problems in children. A study of measurement, prevalence, concomitant factors, and clinical effects. Swed. Dental. J. 1995, 103, 1–78.
  19. Lee C.Y., Chang Y.Y., Huang S.T.: The clinically related predictors of dental fear in Taiwanese children. Int. J. Ped. Dent. 2008, 18, 415–422.
  20. Majstorović M., Skrinjarić T., Szirovicza L., Glavina D., Veerkamp J.S.: Dental anxiety in relation to emotional and behavioral problems in Croatian adolescents. Coll Antropol. 2007,31, 573–578.
  21. Coric A., Banozic A., Klaric M., Vukojevic K., Puljak L.: Dental fear and anxiety in older children: an association with parental dental anxiety and effective pain coping strategies. J. Pain Res. 2014, 7, 515–521.
  22. Paryab M., Hosseinbor M.: Dental anxiety and behavioral problems: a study of prevalence and related factors among group of Iranian children aged 6–12. J. Indian Soc. Pedod. Prev. Dent. 2013, 31, 82–86.
  23. Rantavuori K., Lathi S., Hausen H., Seppä L., Kärkkäinen S.: Dental fear and oral health and family characteristics of Finnish children. Acta Odontol. Scand. 2004, 62, 207–213.
  24. Lee C.Y., Chang Y.Y., Huang S.T.: Prevalence of dental anxiety among 5- to 8-year-old Taiwanese children. J. Public Health Dent. 2007, 67, 36–41.
  25. Caprioglio A., Mariani L., Tettamanti L.: A pilot study about emotional experiences by using CFSS-DS in young patients. Eur. J. Paediatr. Dent. 2009, 10, 121–124.
  26. Olszewska I.: Anxiety and belief in dentist-patient relations. Magazyn Stomatol. 2001, 11, 1, 54–59 [in Polish].
  27. Recine R.: Pervelance of dental fear among Vilnus pupils aged 12 to 15 years. Stomatolog. Baltic Dent. Maxillofac. 2003, 5, 52–56.
  28. Borowy M., Kowalewska K., Mazur A.: Assessment of the level of anxiety and attitude toward to the dentist among the students of Cracow universities. Poradnik Stomatol. 2011, 11, 230–234.
  29. Wilk-Sieczak B., Sozańska Z.: Health related behavior and hygienic habits in patients treated during students classes in the Department of Restorative Dentistry in Wroclaw. Survey studies. Przegl. Stomat. Wieku Rozwoj. 2001, 2, 30–35 [in Polish].
  30. Meisel-Denes J., Pregiel B., Sulka A.: Use of the nitric oxide for dental treatment. TPS, 2014, 6, 95–100 [in Polish].
  31. Frank Sz., Moreń A., Wrzosek A.: Evaluation of the effectiveness of of the periodontal ligament injection in providing anesthesia for routine extractions. Poradnik Stomatol. 2009, 9, 170–175 [in Polish].
© Wroclaw Medical University