J Korean Acad Oral Health.  2015 Mar;39(1):17-24. 10.11149/jkaoh.2015.39.1.17.

Relationship of dental anxiety with oral health behavior and dental caries experience in adolescents

• Park SH
• Lee NG
• Ju HJ
• Choi BY
• Oh HW
• Lee HS

• KMID: 2321503
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.11149/jkaoh.2015.39.1.17

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of dental anxiety with oral health behavior and dental caries experience among adolescents.
METHODS
The subjects were 469 teenagers (238 middle school students and 231 high school students) in 15 different schools located in 7 regions of Bucheon in Gyeonggi Province, Daejeon, and others. A survey and interviews were conducted to evaluate subjects' oral health behavior and dental anxiety. Dental anxiety was additionally assessed by Corah's Dental Anxiety Scale. The caries experience of subjects was examined.
RESULTS
There were no regional differences in dental anxiety. Girls felt more dental anxiety than boys did. Adolescents who did not receive treatment even when they needed it felt more dental anxiety than those who did receive treatment. There were also statistically significant differences in dental anxiety according to the type of treatment received. Adolescents who received extraction treatment or underwent oral surgery experienced more dental anxiety than those who received orthodontic or aesthetic treatment. Those who had a toothache or who experienced gingival bleeding felt more dental anxiety than those who did not have those conditions. Subjects with poor perceived oral health also had more dental anxiety. The number of decayed teeth and filled teeth was significantly correlated with dental anxiety.
CONCLUSIONS
In adolescents, dental anxiety is related to their oral health behavior, the type of conditions they present with, the treatment received, and dental caries experience. Therefore, the kind of systematic programs that could relieve adolescents of dental anxiety should be prepared.

Keyword

Behavior; Dental anxiety; DMF index; Students

MeSH Terms

Adolescent*
Dental Anxiety*
Dental Caries*
DMF Index
Female
Gyeonggi-do
Hemorrhage
Humans
Oral Health*
Surgery, Oral
Tooth
Toothache

Reference

References

1. Jo SC, Choi JS. Development of the korean form of the state-trait anxiety inventory for children. Seoul Journal of Psychiatry. 1989; 14:150–157.

2. Cohen LA, Sydney TL, LaBelle AD. Correlates of dental anxiety in a university population. J Public Health Dent. 1982; 42:228–235.

3. Kim KS, Lim JS. Psychology of dental patient. Seoul: Koonja Publishing Inc;1995. p. 32–49.

4. Doerr PA, Lang WP, Nyquist LV, Ronis DL. Factors associated with dental anxiety. J Am Dent Assoc. 1998; 129:1111–1119.

5. Klingberg G, Berggren U, Carlsson SG, Noren JG. Child dental fear: cause - related factors and clinical effects. Eur J Oral Sci. 1995; 103:405–412.

6. Skaret E, Raadal M, Berg E, Kvale G. Dental anxiety and dental avoidance among 12 to 18 year olds in Norway. Eur J Oral Sci. 1999; 107:422–428.

7. Bedi R, McGrath C. Factors associated with dental anxiety among older people in Britain. Gerodontology. 2000; 17:97–103.

8. Nuttall NM, Bradnock G, White D, Morris J, Nunn J. Dental at-tendence in 1998 and implications for the future. Br Dent J. 2001; 190:177–182.

9. Ministry of Health and Welfare. 2010 Korean National Oral Health Survey. Seoul: Ministry of Health & Welfare;2011. p. 116–120.

10. Corah NL. Development of a dental anxiety scale. J Dent Res. 1969; 48:596.

11. Moore R, Birn H, Kirkegaard E, Brodsgaard I, Scheutz F. Prevalence and characteristics of dental anxiety in Danish adults. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 1993; 21:292–296.

12. Holtzman JM, Berg RG, Mann J, Berkey DB. The relationship of age and gender to fear and anxiety in response to dental care. Spec Care Dentist. 1997; 17:82–87.

13. Kleinknecht RA, Klepac RK, Alexander LD. Origins and characteristics of fear of dentistry. J Am Dent Assoc. 1973; 86:842–848.

14. Kim SH, Baik BJ, Kim JG, Yang YM, Kwon BW. Relationship of dental anxiety between child and parent during dental visit. J Korean Acad Pediatr Dent. 2005; 32:370–376.

15. Kleinknecht RA, Thorndike RM, McGlynn FD, Harkavy J. Factor analysis of the dental fear survey with cross-validation. J Am Dent Assoc. 1984; 108:59–61.

16. Hwang HR, Cho YS, Bae HS. Factors associated with high dental anxiety by the modified dental anxiety scale in dental patients and students. J Korean Acad Oral Health. 2011; 35:145–154.

17. Hagglin C, Berggren U, Hakeberg M, Ahlqwist M. Dental anxiety among middle-aged and elderly women in Sweden. A study of oral state, utilization of dental services and concomitant factors. Gerodontology. 1996; 13:25–34.

18. Armfield JM, Slade GD, Spencer AJ. Dental fear and adult oral health in Australia. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2009; 37:220–230.

19. Oh AY, Kim JY, Lee HS, Choi YH, Song KB. The relationship between dental fear and OHRQoL among elementary school children in a metropolitan area. J Korean Acad Oral Health. 2011; 35:93–101.

20. DeDonno MA. Dental anxiety, dental visits and oral hygiene practices. Oral Health Prev Dent. 2012; 10:129–133.

21. de Carvalho RW, de Carvalho Bezerra Falcão PG, de Luna Campos GJ, de Souza Andrade ES, do Egito Vasconcelos BC, da Silva Pereira MA. Prevalence and predictive factors of dental anxiety in Brazilian adolescents. J Dent Child. 2013; 80:41–46.

22. Milgrom P, Fiset L, Melnick S, Weinstein P. The prevalence and practice management consequences of dental fear in a major US city. J Am Dent Assoc. 1988; 116:641–647.

23. Cohen SM, Fiske J, Newton JT. The impact of dental anxiety on daily living. Br Dent J. 2000; 189:385–390.

24. Klages U, Kianifard S, Ulusoy O, Wehrbein H. Anxiety sensitivity as predictor of pain in patients undergoing restorative dental procedures. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2006; 34:139–145.

25. Choi JS, Kim KK. Relationships between dental fear and dental services utilization with respect to oral health promotion. J Korean Soc Health Educ Prom. 2006; 23:47–65.

26. Choi SS, Kim JY, Song KB, Lee SK. Analysis of the related factors of dental fear among teenagers in private dental clinics. J Korean Acad Oral Health. 2004; 28:495–503.

27. Syed S, Bilal S, Dawani N, Rizvi K. Dental anxiety among adult patients and its correlation with self-assessed dental status and treatment needs. J Pak Med Assoc. 2013; 63:614–618.

28. Yüzügüllü B, Gülşahi A, Celik C, Bulut S. Dental anxiety and fear: relationship with oral health behavior in a Turkish population. Int J Prosthodont. 2014; 27:50–53.

29. Choi JS, Han SJ, Lee MJ, Han GS. Factors associated with the dental fear level and sub-factors of the dental fear survey scale. J Korean Acad Oral Health. 2009; 33:51–61.

30. Cho HJ, Kim MJ, Ha JE, Bae KH, Han DH, Kim JB. Dental anxiety and the associated factors and caries experience among adolescents of elementary and middle schools in Changwon, Korea. J Korean Acad Oral Health. 2010; 34:83–87.

31. Hittner JB, Hemmo R. Psychosocial predictors of dental anxiety. J Health Psychol. 2009; 14:53–59.