A prospective study of dental anxiety in a cohort of children followed from 5 to 9 years of age.
BACKGROUND
The development of dental anxiety in children is poorly understood.


OBJECTIVE
The aims of this study were to measure changes in dental anxiety over time and to examine the relationship between anxiety, dental care, and other factors.


METHODS
A prospective cohort study of children in the north-west of England followed from 5 to 9 years of age. The participants were clinically examined and their parents completed the same questionnaire at 5 and 9 years.


RESULTS
The majority (54.3%N = 38) of participants who were anxious at 5 years were no longer anxious at 9 years, but a large proportion of children who were anxious at 5 remained anxious at 9 years of age (45.7%N = 32). During the follow-up period, a larger proportion of children developed anxiety (11.7%N = 85) than the proportion of children who were reported as being anxious at baseline (8.8%N = 70). At 9 years of age, dental anxiety was significantly associated with girls; parental anxiety; a history of extraction; and irregular, asymptomatic dental visiting. These factors were also significantly associated with dental anxiety at 5 years old.


CONCLUSIONS
Dental anxiety was cumulative in the study population over time, and its development influenced by multiple variables. Results suggest that adverse conditioning and vicarious learning are both important in the development of this condition.
Tickle
Martin
M
Oral Health Unit, National Primary Care R&D Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK. martin.tickle@manchester.ac.uk
Jones
Clare
C
Buchannan
Katie
K
Milsom
Keith M
KM
Blinkhorn
Anthony S
AS
Humphris
Gerry M
GM
D000367:Age Factors; D001245:Association Learning; D001362:Avoidance Learning; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016854:Dental Anxiety / Q000523:psychology*; D019140:Dental Care for Children / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D011446:Prospective Studies; D002666:Psychology, Child; D012737:Sex Factors