The evaluation of the effect of routine treatments administrated in pedodontics clinics on dental anxiety in children and salivary cortisol levels

Aim: It is reported that dental anxiety could go back to childhood in the studies on the origin of dental anxiety. The aim of the study was to determine the treatment procedure leading to fear in children among the types of treatment in pedodontics clinics, and to identify the factors causing the fear during the stages. Material and Method: 135 patients (69 Females, 51.1%, 66 Males, 49.9%; Average Age: 7.37 ± 0.48), admitted to Inonu University, Dentistry Faculty, Pedodontics Department without any experience of dental treatment were included in the study. 9 study groups including 15 patients in each were subjected to restorative and protective operations performed routinely in a Pedodontics Clinic. Parameters such as FIS, CFSS-DS, pulse, SPO2, cortisol were considered during the treatment. Results: FIS means showed a statistically significant increase in all groups during the treatment (p<0.05). Choking, injection and touching of strangers were identified as the most feared procedures according to CFSS-DS results. Statistically significant increase was seen in pulse and salivary cortisol levels taken 15 minutes after the beginning of treatment in all groups with local anaesthesia (p<0.05). Conclusion: It was noted children severely experienced stress beginning before leaving home till the end of the treatment in clinic regardless of the type of and duration of treatment. It was concluded that unless the child had a situation requiring immediate treatment, first dental treatment should not be an operation requiring local anaesthesia. Further studies are required to detect and minimize dental anxiety. Key Words: Paediatric Dentistry, Dental Anxiety, Cortisol, Local Anaesthesia, Pulse.