hrvatski

Correlation between dental anxiety of parents and their children

Introduction: It is generally accepted that the genesis of dental anxiety occurs in childhood and is not inherited. It is reasonable to think that these early dental fears shape the patient’s attitude in adulthood. Research has shown that adults who have negative attitudes about going to the dentist can also pass on such attitudes to their children resulting in avoidance of dental care and a lack of regular visits to the dentist. This opens a “vicious circle” in which there is a tendency to repeat and continue negative attitudes. Materials and methods: The study involved 731 children and their parents in selected countries - Croatia (n = 120), Macedonia (n = 120), BiH (n = 128), Montenegro (n = 128), Slovenia (n = 117) and Serbia. n = 118). Dental anxiety was investigated through an online questionnaire on children of primary, secondary and university age group and their parents. The survey questionnaire consisted of 2 parts: general questions and the Corah Dental Anxiety Scale (CDAS) questionnaire. Through general questions, we learned the age of the respondents and the level of education. CDAS measures respondents’ reactions on a 5-point scale for four different situations. Results: CDAS score was calculated for all children and their parents. A high level of anxiety was noted in 12.5% of children from Croatia, 26.67% from Macedonia, 10.94% from BiH, 20.31% from Montenegro, 23.08% from Slovenia and 16.10% from Serbia. The correlation of dental anxiety of parents and children is 0.4 (p <0.01). Conclusion: As proof of the connection between dental anxiety of parents and children, we believe that it is crucial to educate parents about the correct psychological approach to children and their visit to the dentist.

dental anxiety ; parents, children

nije evidentirano

engleski

Correlation between dental anxiety of parents and their children

Introduction: It is generally accepted that the genesis of dental anxiety occurs in childhood and is not inherited. It is reasonable to think that these early dental fears shape the patient’s attitude in adulthood. Research has shown that adults who have negative attitudes about going to the dentist can also pass on such attitudes to their children resulting in avoidance of dental care and a lack of regular visits to the dentist. This opens a “vicious circle” in which there is a tendency to repeat and continue negative attitudes. Materials and methods: The study involved 731 children and their parents in selected countries - Croatia (n = 120), Macedonia (n = 120), BiH (n = 128), Montenegro (n = 128), Slovenia (n = 117) and Serbia. n = 118). Dental anxiety was investigated through an online questionnaire on children of primary, secondary and university age group and their parents. The survey questionnaire consisted of 2 parts: general questions and the Corah Dental Anxiety Scale (CDAS) questionnaire. Through general questions, we learned the age of the respondents and the level of education. CDAS measures respondents’ reactions on a 5-point scale for four different situations. Results: CDAS score was calculated for all children and their parents. A high level of anxiety was noted in 12.5% of children from Croatia, 26.67% from Macedonia, 10.94% from BiH, 20.31% from Montenegro, 23.08% from Slovenia and 16.10% from Serbia. The correlation of dental anxiety of parents and children is 0.4 (p <0.01). Conclusion: As proof of the connection between dental anxiety of parents and children, we believe that it is crucial to educate parents about the correct psychological approach to children and their visit to the dentist.

dental anxiety ; parents, children

nije evidentirano