Children's behavioral problems and stress as a consequence of dental treatment anxiety

Abstract

Anxiety and stress are usually related to the dental treatment situation; and pain, physiological and psycological treatment issues may be evaluated specially by children patients, as they are considered well-being potential threats. The comparison between children's stress and behavioral profile of a children's group with high level of anxiety during dental treatment (G1) to a group of children, who cooperate to the attendance (G2) was this study proposal. The following technical intruments were applied: the Rutter A2 Parent Scale and the Child Stress Scale. Children from G1 had presented highier stress and behavioral difficulties rates than the G2 (p< 0.01) ones. According to this paper, the systematic application of these instruments in a clinical school has identified those children with difficulties, and the best prophylactic and intervention procedures that minimize the pediatric dental treatment dificulties occurrence situations.

dental treatment anxiety; stress; pediatric dental treatment; health psychology