ANXIETY REGARDING THE DENTAL ACT IN CHILDREN AND PARENTS
ANXIETY REGARDING THE DENTAL ACT IN CHILDREN AND PARENTS

Summary/Abstract: Anxiety is a complex and dynamic phenomenon of restlessness, agitation, tension, fear, insecurity, unjustified worry that is experienced as psychological discomfort. It manifests itself in the form of fear caused by uncertainty in which the subject has the impression of an imminent danger, which is present everywhere, cannot be defined or removed. Dental anxiety in children presents a challenge to the child, parents and the dental team. The aim of this study was to identify the correlation between parental and children's anxiety. Three questionnaires were used: two for children and one for parents. It was chosen a sample of 47 children and 39 parents. They belong to the same geographical area, respectively to Mureș County, the city of Târgu Mureș. There were selected children of 7-9 years old, pupils in the first and second grade. The children are pupils of the “Nicolae Bălcescu” Gymnasium School from Târgu Mureș and come from the urban environment, from families with a relatively similar socio-economic status. In order to identify the children's fear at the dentist, the children's and parents' answers to the questionnaires applied to them were analyzed. There are statistically significant differences between the answers of children and parents regarding the impressions after the first visit of the dentist. In the first grade, the children said that they liked the first visit to the dentist (66,66%), while only 29,41% of the parents answered that they liked the first visit to the dentist. Most of the children in the study sample said they were afraid of injection (69,56% of first grade children and 75% of second grade children). Anxiety and fear that precede dental treatment can cause children and parents to avoid going to the dentist. The parents' answers showed that most of those who went to the dentist as a child for pain had a modest socio-economic status. Comparing the answers of children and parents showed that the percentage of adults who went to the dentist more in childhood for pain is higher than that of children (in the first grade 58,82% of parents and 38,88% of children, and in the second grade 54,54% of parents and 36,36% of children). One of the causes may be the socio-economic status correlated with the lack of information. A visit to the dentist for pain involves a more complex treatment, as opposed to treating an early caries. The family has an important role in educating children about hygiene and oral health. Through personal example and the discussions they have with their children, it is necessary for parents to pay attention to maintaining oral health from an early age, given that it is easier to prevent than to repair.

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