EMOTIONAL REACTIONS OF CHILDREN SUBJECTED TO DENTAL PROCEDURES

REAÇÃO EMOCIONAL DE CRIANÇAS FRENTE AOS PROCEDIMENTOS ODONTOLÓGICOS

1Janaina  Rocha  Reis, 2Rafaela  Ferreira Miziara, 3Orlando Ayrton  de  Toledo,  4Vania  Maria

Moraes Ferreira*                                                                                                                                   

ABSTRACT

The emotional reactions of children should be understood as a behavioral attitude of complex and multifactorial etiology. This study examined the anxiety and fear in children aged 6 to 12 years subjected to dental procedures. We  used  medical  records  for anamnesis,  questionnaires,  and  a visual analog  scale.  We  observed  mainly positive emotional reactions with regards to dental procedures, in addition to low expressions of anxiety and fear. The emotional reaction during dental procedures  was analyzed  and  no significant correlations were observed with the following variables:  gender, age, dental experience,  emotional reactions to previous dental-medical procedures,  dental  complaints,  or parents’ anxiety and  expectations.  Also, we  identified the correlations of emotional reactions to previous medical-dental procedures  and  the expectation  of parents with the behavioral profile. An association of the best responses with positive reactions to previous dental-medical procedures  and positive expectations  of parents  about the reaction of children to dental  treatment. These results suggest that parental  attitudes may influence emotional reactions of children and  that previous dental-medical experiences influence children’s  reactions to subsequent  dental treatment. The analysis of factors affecting children allows the establishment of a humanitarian and positive concept of dental treatment in search of a comprehensive oral health system and prevention of psychological trauma.