EXPLORING THE ROOTS OF DENTAL ANXIETY AMONG PEDIATRIC PATIENTS – A LITERATURE REVIEW
Hamari Debbarma1, Deepali Seth2
1Dental Surgeon and Prosthodontist, Department of Dentistry, Dharmanagar District Hospital, Baraukandi – 799250, Tripura, India2Assistant Professor & Programme, Coordinator M.A & B.A English, Centre for Distance and Online Education, MRIIRS, Faridabad – 121004, India
ABSTRACT: Dental anxieties and phobias are significant issues among children in dental clinics. Addressing the underlying causes of dental phobia is essential before beginning their treatment. This literature review aims to analyse and summarize academic discussions on the etiology of children’s dental fear, strategies to identify these fears, and management techniques for dental phobia in clinical settings. The literature search was conducted using electronic databases, including Medline/PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science, focusing on the association between dental fear and children in dental clinics. Only articles related to children’s dental fears were included. Dental anxiety and phobia can impact a person’s quality of life, making it crucial to identify the causes of fear and alleviate these obstacles to provide better oral health care and improve the overall well-being of anxious children in dental clinics.
KEYWORDS: Dental Anxiety, Prevalence, Children Fear, Dental Phobia, Behaviour mechanism.