To verify whether recreational interaction with pediatric patient before dental care influences cortisol levels and anxiety. Material and
Methods:
Twelve children were selected and divided into two groups 6 childrenwho had not previously received recreational intervention (Group I) and 6 childrenwho received recreational intervention before dental care (Group II). Saliva was collected with Salivettes™ kits before and soon after dental care for the measurement of cortisol. Wilcoxon test was applied to verify the difference in salivary cortisol levels before and after the dental visit in the whole sample, and the Mann-Whitney U test was used to analyze the difference between groups I and II. A significance level of 0.05 was considered.
Results:
Among patients from Group I, 3 had their cortisol levels increased after dental care, 2 had their cortisol levels decreased, and the other 1 patient remained constant. All participants from Group II had no significant difference in cortisol levels pre- and post-procedure. Mean salivary cortisol level was higher in Group I, pre- and post-procedure, compared to Group II.