The Prevalence of Dental Fear and Its Relationship to Dental Caries and Gingival Diseases Among School Children in Wardha.

ABSTRACT

Background Children who are afraid of the dentist have terrible behavioral effects, and one of those effects is that they have a preconceived concept that getting treatment would be unpleasant. Such fear and anxiety can lead to avoidance of dental care. These patients must be recognized and their concerns addressed as soon as possible. It is, therefore, important to highlight the connection between the constructs that target the development of dental fear and anxiety, including its outcome in children concerning the prevalence of dental diseases. Aims and objectives To assess the prevalence of dental anxiety and its correlation to dental caries and gingivitis in students in Wardha aged six to 12 years old. Methods Two hundred schoolchildren between the ages of six and 12 were chosen at random, with 100 boys and 100 girls. Children had an oral examination utilizing the decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) Index as well as the Loe and Silness gingival index (GI), as well as a modified version of the dental fear survey questionnaire. Results In the study population, the prevalence of low to moderate "general dental fear" was 47%, whereas the frequency of high dental fear was 14%. The mean DMFT (1.80 ± 1.76) and GI (1.04 ± 0.52) of boys did not differ substantially from the DMFT (1.94 ± 81.02) and GI (0.97 ± 0.53) of girls (P > 0.05). Conclusion In terms of DMFT and gingival scores, there was not any obvious distinction between male and female children. Additionally, there was no connection found between "general dental fear" and either the DMFT or GI scores. Dental fear scores decreased with increasing age.