title: Dental attitudes and memories: a study of the effects of hand over mouth/restraint.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to document whether there was a significant difference in the number and severity of generalized fears and dental fears between patients who did and patients who did not experience hand-over-mouth and/or restraint as children. Patient records in a dental school children's clinic and a private pediatric dental practice were examined to identify patients who had experienced hand-over-mouth and/or restraint. A set of verbal questions was designed, tested, and used to ascertain the differences between the HOM/restraint group and the comparison group. One hundred twenty-two subjects were interviewed, 61 who had experienced HOM/restraint and 61 who had not. When compared for generalized fears and specific dental fears, the two groups showed no statistically significant differences (P = 0.86 and P = 0.36 respectively). No statistically significant difference appeared between the two groups when asked how they felt about visiting the dental office (P = 0.41). When three different formats were used to question the subjects relative to their early dental memories, the two groups showed no statistical difference in negative or positive responses (P = 0.38, 0.75, and 0.25 respectively). More than two times as many HOM/restraint subjects as comparison subjects described negative experiences in a physician's office or hospital. This difference was statistically significant (P < 0.01).
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Dentistry, Indiana University School of Dentistry, Indianapolis.
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Barton
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hatcher
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Potter
authors.forename: H Z
authors.initials: HZ
authors.lastname: Henderson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001348:Aversive Therapy; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D016854:Dental Anxiety / Q000209:etiology*; D003729:Dental Care / Q000523:psychology*; D003812:Dentist-Patient Relations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory; D012149:Restraint, Physical / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012189:Retrospective Studies