Influence of negative dental experiences in childhood on the development of dental fear in adulthood: a case-control study

Abstract

Objective

The aim of this study was to evaluate the factors associated with high dental fear among Brazilian university students, especially the effect of a negative dental experience in childhood.

Methods

This paired case-control study was conducted at the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais in Brazil. Dental, psychology and mathematics students were divided into cases (high fear) and controls (low fear), defined by cluster analysis, according to the items of the Dental Fear Survey (DFS). Cases (n=65) and controls (n=260) participants were paired (1:4) by gender, undergraduate course and social vulnerability. The students self-reported the DFS and a questionnaire about oral health. Descriptive analysis, bivariate and multivariate conditional logistic regression were used as statistical tests with a significance level of 5%.

Results

The multivariate model showed that students who reported negative dental experiences in childhood (OR=2.97; 95% CI:1.44–6.14), toothache in the last 12 months (OR 11.31; 95% CI:4.79–26.68), discomfort during dental treatment (OR=5.36; 95% CI:2.53–11.36) and poor self-evaluation of oral health (OR=3.82; 95% CI:1.61–8.11) were more likely to have high dental fear.

Conclusions

Negative dental experiences in childhood influence dental fear in adulthood. Oral health education should be addressed among university students to reduce dental fear.

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