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Dental Fear and Associated Factors among Children and Adolescents: A School-Based Study in Lithuania

Author

Listed:
  • Eglė Slabšinskienė

    (Department of Oral Health and Paediatric Dentistry, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, LT-44307 Kaunas, Lithuania)

  • Aistė Kavaliauskienė

    (Department of Orthodontics, Faculty of Odontology, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, LT-44307 Kaunas, Lithuania)

  • Miglė Žemaitienė

    (Department of Oral Health and Paediatric Dentistry, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, LT-44307 Kaunas, Lithuania)

  • Ingrida Vasiliauskienė

    (Department of Oral Health and Paediatric Dentistry, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, LT-44307 Kaunas, Lithuania)

  • Apolinaras Zaborskis

    (Department of Preventive Medicine & Health Research Institute, Faculty of Public Health, Medical Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, LT-44307 Kaunas, Lithuania)

Abstract

Dental fear is a challenging problem in dentistry and many contributing factors have been identified. Although this problem among children and adolescents has been studied in the literature for a long time, few such studies have been conducted in Lithuania. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of dental fear and examine its association with gender, age and several psychological and social factors among children and adolescents in Lithuania. The cross-sectional survey included a randomly selected sample ( n = 1590) of children aged 11–14 and adolescents aged 15–18. The data were supplemented by interviewing the parents of these subjects ( n = 1399). Dental fear was measured with a single five-score question. The data collection also included questions on oral health, socioeconomic status, oral health-related quality of life and self-esteem. Poisson regression analysis was used to assess the association between perception of dental fear and potential predictor variables. It was found that 32.2% (95% CI: 29.9–34.4%) of children and adolescents reported no fear of dental treatment, 12.5% (10.8–14.2%) of their peers were highly afraid of dental treatment, and other subjects assessed their dental fear gradually. Girls reported greater dental fear scores than boys, but the level of dental fear did not depend on the age. We identified the groups of subjects by gender and age, and a higher level of dental fear was significantly associated with untreated caries experience, a delay in the age of the subject’s first visit to the dentist, low self-esteem, low oral health-related quality of life, low overall life satisfaction and low family affluence. The results also suggested that dental fear could originate from previous toothache, dentists’ actions, high sensitivity in the child and poor psychological readiness for treatment. It was concluded that dental fear among Lithuanian children and adolescents is a common problem that is associated with gender and several dental, psychological and social factors. The findings indicate that school-based health policies, paediatric dentists and parents should be encouraged to focus on the psychosocial factors associated with dental fear because most of them can be prevented.

Suggested Citation

  • Eglė Slabšinskienė & Aistė Kavaliauskienė & Miglė Žemaitienė & Ingrida Vasiliauskienė & Apolinaras Zaborskis, 2021. "Dental Fear and Associated Factors among Children and Adolescents: A School-Based Study in Lithuania," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-18, August.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:16:p:8883-:d:620010
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Aistė Kavaliauskienė & Antanas Šidlauskas & Miglė Žemaitienė & Eglė Slabšinskienė & Apolinaras Zaborskis, 2020. "Relationships of Dental Caries and Malocclusion with Oral Health-Related Quality of Life in Lithuanian Adolescents Aged 15 to 18 Years: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-15, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Lina Stangvaltaite-Mouhat & Indre Stankeviciene & Sigrid Sofia Sanchez Martinussen & Vytautas Sabataitis & Camilla Sandjord & Ingrid Toresen & Marianne Stoltenberg Tryggestad & Alina Puriene & Jan-Are, 2023. "Web-Based Interventions Reduced Dental Anxiety among Adults in Lithuania and Norway: A Pilot Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-14, February.
    2. Leah I. Stein Duker & Mollianne Grager & Willa Giffin & Natasha Hikita & José C. Polido, 2022. "The Relationship between Dental Fear and Anxiety, General Anxiety/Fear, Sensory Over-Responsivity, and Oral Health Behaviors and Outcomes: A Conceptual Model," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(4), pages 1-19, February.

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