Factors associated with different measures of dental fear among children at different ages

This study's purpose was to determine the associations between 4 dental fear measures and treatment procedures, oral habits, and family characteristics at different ages.

Independent random samples of 6-, 9-, 12-, and 15-year-olds were drawn in 2 cities (N=180 per age group from both cities). The study group comprised 270, 283, 311, and 293 subjects who were 6, 9, 12, and 15 years old, respectively. The total inclusion rate was 80%. The data concerning dental treatment procedures during the 3 preceding years were collected from patient records. Four measures (treatment of dental decay, attending dentist, general dental fear, and peak value for dental fear) were drawn from the questionnaire, including 11 fear-related questions (a modified children's dental fear survey schedule). Oral health habits and family characteristics were also recorded. Age-specific logistic regression analyses were performed using different fear measures as dependent variables.

The relationship between child's dental fear (CDF) and oral health habits, family characteristics, and earlier treatment procedures differed among different ages, even when the same CDF measure was used as the dependent variable.

When evaluating children's dental fear, dentists should understand that CDF-related factors vary at different ages and according to the fear type.