CHILD DENTAL FEAR - CAUSE-RELATED FACTORS AND CLINICAL EFFECTS

The relationship between child dental fear and clinical effects, and t he importance of some etiological factors related to the development o f dental fear in children, were studied in 3,204 urban Swedish childre n aged 4 to 6 and 9 to 11 yr. Information concerning child dental fear (as measured by the Dental Subscale of Children's Fear Survey Schedul e), general fears, parental dental fear, parents' employment and nativ e language was obtained through questionnaires. Data regarding dental health, behavior management problems (BMP and modes of dental treatmen t were compiled from dental records. The results showed that child den tal fear was associated with missing appointments and dental caries. A proportion of 27% of the children with BMP were dentally fearful, whi le 61% of the children with dental fear reacted with BMP. A model for stepwise regression analysis showed that general fears, maternal denta l fear, and age were important etiological factors in the development of dental fear in children.