KaydedilenlerDerginizi ekleyin

Dergiler / HRÜ Uluslararası Diş Hekimliği ve Oral Araştırmalar Dergisi / 2026 / Volume: 6 Issue: 2

Dental Anxiety in Children: A Review on Etiology, Prevalence, and Assessment Methods

Büşra Almas(NECMETTIN ERBAKAN UNIVERSITY, FACULTY OF DENTISTRY)0009-0002-5964-2756
Sayfa
—
Yayın Tarihi
2026-08-31
🏛️Bu makalenin bibliyografik verileri ve tam metin bağlantısı DergiPark üzerinden sağlanmıştır.
DergiPark Kaydı ↗
✨

Yapay Zeka Hızlı Bakış & Çıkarımlar

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(1 Cümlede Hızlı Çıkarım)

This review summarizes the main causes of pediatric dental anxiety, commonly used assessment tools, and current evidence-based approaches for its management, emphasizing the importance of early intervention for improved clinical outcomes.

📌 3 Maddede Bu Makale

🎯
Amaç & Hipotez:Dental anxiety is a common psychological problem in pediatric dentistry and remains a major obstacle to successful treatment.
📊
Temel Bulgular & Veri:Early and accurate assessment of anxiety levels is essential for guiding clinical decisions and selecting appropriate management strategies.
💡
Sonuç & Katkı:This review summarizes the main causes of pediatric dental anxiety, commonly used assessment tools, and current evidence-based approaches for its management, emphasizing the importance of early intervention for improved clinical outcomes.
🔬Tür:Literatür & Derleme Çalışması
📍Kapsam:Genişletilmiş Akademik Örneklem
⚙️Değişkenler:Dental anxiety · dental fear · pediatric dentistry

Abstract

Dental anxiety is a common psychological problem in pediatric dentistry and remains a major obstacle to successful treatment. Although various behavioral techniques and technological advancements have been introduced, many children still exhibit anxiety during dental procedures, leading to treatment avoidance, poorer oral health, and reduced cooperation. The etiology of dental anxiety is multifactorial, shaped by individual traits, family influences, and past dental experiences. Early and accurate assessment of anxiety levels is essential for guiding clinical decisions and selecting appropriate management strategies. Effective anxiety control enhances cooperation during treatment and helps establish positive attitudes toward oral care. This review summarizes the main causes of pediatric dental anxiety, commonly used assessment tools, and current evidence-based approaches for its management, emphasizing the importance of early intervention for improved clinical outcomes.

🔖

Bu Makaleye Atıf Yap

Almas, B. (2026). Dental Anxiety in Children: A Review on Etiology, Prevalence, and Assessment Methods. HRÜ Uluslararası Diş Hekimliği ve Oral Araştırmalar Dergisi, Volume: 6 Issue: 2. https://doi.org/10.61139/ijdor.1833048

📄 Tam Metin PDF Okuyucu

📄

PDF görüntüleyici hazırlanıyor...

Kaynakça (46)

  1. Razzak NA, Demirsoy N. Evaluation of the effect of dental anxiety on the quality of life of the patients. Int J Caring Sci. 2022;15(2):[pagination not provided].
  2. Ayata M, Eraslan R. The effect of the education levels of dental students on their dental anxiety. Saglik Bilimleri Derg. 2023;32(1):51-5.
  3. Kawasaki H, Tanoue N, Ayuse T, Kurata S, Okayasu I, Ayuse T. Factors involved in caries experience of dentally fearful patients. Acta Med Nagasakiensia. 2022;65(3):95-101.
  4. Klingberg G, Broberg AG. Dental fear/anxiety and dental behaviour management problems in children and adolescents: prevalence and concomitant psychological factors. Int J Paediatr Dent. 2007;17(6):391-406.
  5. Kvesić AJ, Hrelja M, Lovrić Ž, Šimunović L, Špiljak B, Supina N, et al. Possible risk factors for dental fear and anxiety in children who suffered traumatic dental injury. Dent J. 2023;11(8):190.
  6. Buldur B, Armfield JM. Development of the Turkish version of the Index of Dental Anxiety and Fear (IDAF-4C+): dental anxiety and concomitant factors in pediatric dental patients. J Clin Pediatr Dent. 2018;42(4):279-86.
  7. Mağat G. Necmettin Erbakan Üniversitesi Diş Hekimliği Fakültesi’ne başvuran hastaların dental anksiyete düzeylerinin değerlendirilmesi. Selcuk Dent J. 2018;5(3):246-52.
  8. Santos PS, Barasuol JC, Moccelini BS, Magno MB, Bolan M, Martins-Junior PA, et al. Prevalence of toothache and associated factors in children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Clin Oral Investig. 2022;26(2):1105-19.
  9. Dahlander A, Soares F, Grindefjord M, Dahllöf G. Factors associated with dental fear and anxiety in children aged 7 to 9 years. Dent J. 2019;7(3):68.
  10. Wauters A, Daenen F, Van Ryckeghem DM, Noel M, Vervoort T. The effect of retrieval-induced forgetting for pain-related memories on child pain-related outcomes: a randomized experimental study. Eur J Pain. 2025;29(3):e4758.
  11. Uzsen H, Buyuk ET, Odabasoglu E, Koyun M. The effects of vibration and pressure interventions on children's pain, fear and anxiety: a randomized controlled trial. J Pediatr Nurs. 2024;75:196-204.
  12. Shen T, Wang X, Xue Q, Chen D. Active versus passive distraction for reducing procedural pain and anxiety in children: a meta-analysis and systematic review. Ital J Pediatr. 2023;49(1):109.
  13. Yıldırım S, Tokuç M, Aydın MN. The effect of pre-anesthesia with a needle-free system versus topical anesthesia on injection pain of the inferior alveolar nerve block: a randomized clinical trial. Clin Oral Investig. 2020;24(12):4355-61.
  14. Felemban OM, Alshamrani RM, Aljeddawi DH, Bagher SM. Effect of virtual reality distraction on pain and anxiety during infiltration anesthesia in pediatric patients: a randomized clinical trial. BMC Oral Health. 2021;21(1):321.
  15. Tickle M, Milsom K, Crawford FI, Aggarwal VR. Predictors of pain associated with routine procedures performed in general dental practice. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2012;40(4):343-50.
  16. Bodrumlu EH, Hanife CAN. Dental anxiety in children and measurement methods. Acad Stud Health Sci. 2023;1:[pagination not provided].
  17. Kakkar M, Wahi A, Thakkar R, Vohra I, Shukla AK. Prevalence of dental anxiety in 10–14 years old children and its implications. J Dent Anesth Pain Med. 2016;16(3):199-202.
  18. Rantavuori K, Lahti S, Hausen H, Seppä L, Kärkkäinen S. Dental fear and oral health and family characteristics of Finnish children. Acta Odontol Scand. 2004;62(4):207-13.
  19. Fägerstad A, Lundgren J, Arnrup K. Dental fear among children and adolescents in a multicultural population: a cross-sectional study. Swed Dent J. 2015;39(2):109-20.
  20. Önçağ Ö, Çoğulu D. Ailenin sosyoekonomik durumu ve eğitim düzeyinin çocuklarda dental kaygı üzerine etkisi. Eur Ann Dent Sci. 2005;32(1):45-54.
  21. Yetiş ÇÇ, Küçükeşmen Ç. Çocuk hastalarda dental kaygı ve davranış idaresi problemlerinin görülme sıklığı ve etiyolojik faktörleri. Balıkesir Sağlık Bilim Derg. 2013;2(1):62-8.
  22. Bayrak Ş, Tunç EŞ, Eğilmez TD, Tüloğlu DN. Ebeveyn dental kaygısı ve sosyodemografik faktörlerin çocukların dental kaygısı üzerine etkileri. Atatürk Üniv Diş Hek Fak Derg. 2010;3:181-8.
  23. Aydınoğlu S, Arslan İ, Bilgir BS, Yazar M, Karan NB. Do parents' dental neglect and anxiety affect their children's dental neglect and anxiety? Necmettin Erbakan Univ Dent J. 2024;6(1):79-88.
  24. Ramos-Jorge J, Marques LS, Homem MA, Paiva SM, Ferreira MC, Oliveira Ferreira F, et al. Degree of dental anxiety in children with and without toothache: prospective assessment. Int J Paediatr Dent. 2013;23(2):125-30.
  25. Bahrololoomi Z, Zein Al-Din J, Maghsoudi N, Sajedi S. Efficacy of virtual reality distraction in reduction of pain and anxiety of pediatric dental patients: a split-mouth randomized crossover clinical trial. Int J Dent. 2024;2024:1290410.
  26. Grisolia BM, Dos Santos APP, Dhyppolito IM, Buchanan H, Hill K, Oliveira BH. Prevalence of dental anxiety in children and adolescents globally: a systematic review with meta-analyses. Int J Paediatr Dent. 2021;31(2):168-83.
  27. Lin CS, Wu SY, Yi CA. Association between anxiety and pain in dental treatment: a systematic review and meta- analysis. J Dent Res. 2017;96(2):153-62.
  28. Lundberg A, Hillebrecht AL, Srinivasan M. Effect of waiting room ambience on the stress and anxiety of patients undergoing medical treatment: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Adv Integr Med. 2024;11(2):47-68.
  29. Yahyaoğlu Ö, Baygın Ö. Çocuk diş hekimliğinde diş hekimi kaygı ve korkusunun değerlendirilmesi. Atatürk Üniv Diş Hek Fak Derg. 2018;28(4):599-609.
  30. Frankl SN. Should the parent remain with the child in the dental operatory? J Dent Child. 1962;29:150-63.
  31. Kamel DO, Wahba NA, Talaat DM. Comparison between positive dental images and neutral images in managing anticipatory anxiety of children. J Clin Pediatr Dent. 2017;41(2):116-9.
  32. Akarslan ZZ, Erten H. Diş hekimliği korkusu ve kaygısı. Hacettepe Diş Hek Fak Derg Clin Dent Res. 2009;33(1):62-8.
  33. Armfield JM. How do we measure dental fear and what are we measuring anyway? Oral Health Prev Dent. 2010;8(2):107-15.
  34. Chi SI. What is the gold standard of the dental anxiety scale? J Dent Anesth Pain Med. 2023;23(4):193-200.
  35. Wong HM, Humphris GM, Lee GT. Preliminary validation and reliability of the modified child dental anxiety scale. Psychol Rep. 1998;83(3 Pt 2):1179-86.
  36. Yeung AWK. A bibliometric analysis on the early works of dental anxiety. Dent J. 2023;11(2):36.
  37. Agrawal N, Kale S. Dental anxiety scales used in pediatric dentistry: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Contemp Dent Pract. 2022;22(11):1338-45.
  38. Done AE, Preoteasa E, Preoteasa CT. Psychometric assessment of the Romanian version of the Index of Dental Anxiety and Fear (IDAF-4C+). Healthcare. 2023;11(15):2129.
  39. Carrillo-Díaz M, Crego A, Armfield J, Romero M. The moderating role of dental expectancies on the relationship between cognitive vulnerability and dental fear in children and adolescents. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2013;41(3):269-78.
  40. Gómez-Polo C, Vilches AA, Ribas D, Castaño-Séiquer A, Montero J. Behaviour and anxiety management of paediatric dental patients through virtual reality: a randomised clinical trial. J Clin Med. 2021;10(14):3019.
  41. Yasemin M, Kasımoglu Y, Kocaaydın S, Karslı E, Ince EBT, Ince G. Reduction of dental anxiety and pain in children using robots. In: Proceedings of the International Conference on Advances in Computer-Human Interactions. 2016. p. [pagination not provided].
  42. Koch G. Pediatric dentistry: a clinical approach. London: Wiley-Blackwell; 2009.
  43. Donka G. Kirov dental anxiety among dental student. J Int Med Assoc Bulg. 2011;17(2):137-9.
  44. Ghobadi A, Moradpoor H, Sharini H, Khazaie H, Moradpoor P. The effect of virtual reality on reducing patients’ anxiety and pain during dental implant surgery. BMC Oral Health. 2024;24(1):186.
  45. Chavez AM, Loffredo LDCM, Valsecki A Jr, Chavez OFM, Campos JADB. Estudo epidemiológico da ansiedade dos pacientes ao tratamento odontológico. Rev Odontol UNESP. 2013;35(4):263-8.
  46. Sikligar S, Bargale S, Dave B, Poonacha KS, Anuradha KVR, Khandelwal J. Effect of local anesthesia on anxiety, blood pressure and pulse rate in 6–10 years old children during dental treatment: an in vivo study. J Adv Med Dent Sci Res. 2020;8(4):52-6.