title: Frequent exposure to invasive medical care in early childhood and operative dental treatment associated with dental apprehension of children at 9 years of age.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This was to study prospectively a cohort of children as to whether behaviour at a 3-year examination, exposure to medical care and operative dental treatment are associated with each other, and with the level of dental apprehension at 9 years of age.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected at three subsequent dental examinations of 126 children (67 boys, 59 girls). Cooperation, general health condition and operative dental treatment during the preceding 3 years were obtained at dental examinations with 3-year intervals, i.e. at 3, 6 and 9 years of age. Children's dental apprehension was assessed at the age of 9 years. The data were analysed using an ordinal logistic regression model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Dental apprehension at 9 years of age was associated with frequent exposure to invasive medical care (p<0.001) and past experience of operative dental care (p<0.002), but not with cooperation at 3 years of age (p=0.124).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Frequent invasive medical care in early childhood and operative dental treatment, tooth extractions in particular, are associated with dental apprehension at 9 years of age.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Dentistry, University of Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karjalainen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Olak
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Söderling
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pienihäkkinen
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Simell
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004245:DMF Index; D016854:Dental Anxiety / Q000209:etiology*; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009910:Oral Hygiene / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014081:Tooth Extraction / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000523:psychology