Dental Experience, Anxiety, and Oral Health in Low-income Chilean Children

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between early dental experiences and clinical indicators of oral health and dental anxiety upon admission to a comprehensive oral health program for six-year-old children in Chile. Methods: One hundred twenty-nine six-year-old children were enrolled in the Recreo Family Health Center of the Municipality of San Miguel, Santiago, Chile. Oral health status was assessed based on the decayed, extracted, or filled teeth index, simplified oral hygiene index, and Streptococcus mutans score. Dental anxiety was assessed using the facial image scale and Frankl scale. Early dental experience was classified as: no previous dental visits; preventive control; restorative treatment; and emergency visit. Results: Children who had previous experience of restorative treatment and emergency visits showed greater dental caries damage (Kruskal-Wallis, P<.01). Those who had emergency visits had the highest S. mutans score. There was no relationship between the type of prior dental experience and the anxiety level or oral hygiene index. Conclusions: Invasive dental treatment resulted in greater susceptibility to dental caries damage; however, these experiences did not influence dental anxiety levels.