BACKGROUND: Dental treatment under general anaesthesia (DGA) is deemed to contribute to children's dental fear and anxiety (DFA), both in the short term and long term. OBJECTIVE: To compare DFA between children who had previous DGA and those who did not. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey included 5- to 12-year-old children who had undergone DGA (n = 43) and a control group who had not (n = 55). Questionnaires were completed by parents regarding sociodemographic and dental profiles. Children's Fear Survey Schedule-Dental Subscale (CFSS-DS) and the Modified Child Dental Anxiety Scale (faces) (MCDASf) were completed by children. RESULTS: The mean age of the control group and the DGA group was 9.5 ± 1.7 and 8.8 ± 1.5 years old, respectively (P > 0.05). The time passed since DGA was experienced ranged between 1.2 and 6.9 years ago (mean: 4.2 ± 1.1 years). The mean CFSS-DS and MCDASf scores for the DGA group (34.3 and 20.4, respectively) were significantly greater when compared to the control group (23.6 and 12.7, respectively) (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Children who experienced DGA are a high-risk group for DFA several years after the procedure. The DGA status could be used for identifying anxious children to promote better behaviour management.
BACKGROUND: Dental treatment under general anaesthesia (DGA) is deemed to contribute to children's dental fear and anxiety (DFA), both in the short term and long term. OBJECTIVE: To compare DFA between children who had previous DGA and those who did not. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey included 5- to 12-year-old children who had undergone DGA (n = 43) and a control group who had not (n = 55). Questionnaires were completed by parents regarding sociodemographic and dental profiles. Children's Fear Survey Schedule-Dental Subscale (CFSS-DS) and the Modified Child Dental Anxiety Scale (faces) (MCDASf) were completed by children. RESULTS: The mean age of the control group and the DGA group was 9.5 ± 1.7 and 8.8 ± 1.5 years old, respectively (P > 0.05). The time passed since DGA was experienced ranged between 1.2 and 6.9 years ago (mean: 4.2 ± 1.1 years). The mean CFSS-DS and MCDASf scores for the DGA group (34.3 and 20.4, respectively) were significantly greater when compared to the control group (23.6 and 12.7, respectively) (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION:Children who experienced DGA are a high-risk group for DFA several years after the procedure. The DGA status could be used for identifying anxious children to promote better behaviour management.