The Use of a Dental Storybook as a Dental Anxiety Reduction Medium among Pediatric Patients: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

Effectiveness of Nonpharmacological Behavioural Interventions in Managing Dental Fear and Anxiety among Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Non-pharmacological behavioural interventions (NPBIs) have been employed by dentists to alleviate dental fear and anxiety (DFA) among preschool and school children. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to investigate the effectiveness of different NPBIs in reducing DFA among children aged below 12.

METHOD

A comprehensive search was conducted using four electronic databases to identify randomised controlled trials that assess the effectiveness of NPBIs among preschool and school children. Two reviewers independently screened and selected the relevant studies, evaluated the risk of bias, and extracted relevant data for qualitative and quantitative syntheses.

RESULT

A total of 66 articles were included in the study. Except during more invasive dental procedures, the use of distraction techniques was found to result in significantly lower self-rated anxiety, better cooperation, and lower pulse rate compared to the tell-show-do method. However, inconsistent results were reported regarding the efficacy of virtual reality, modelling, visual pedagogies, tell-show-do and other NPBIs in reducing DFA among children.

CONCLUSIONS

The studies exhibited substantial heterogeneity due to varying age groups, methods of implementing NPBIs, dental treatments performed, and measurement scales employed in the evaluation of DFA.

Effectiveness of motion graphic-based narrative therapy with a cognitive-behavioral approach in reducing fluoride varnish therapy anxiety for six-year-old children

BACKGROUND

Fluoride varnish therapy (FVT) is a dental caries preventive service that its effectiveness has been well documented. A lot of children, especially the five-year-old and six-year-old ones, are suffering with anxiety during this service and do not readily allow it. The present study aimed to cast light on the effect of motion graphic-based narrative story with a cognitive-behavioral approach in reducing FVT anxiety among six-year-old children.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study was an intervention trial type that was conducted in Ardabil city and among school students. Five children suffering from FVT anxiety were randomly selected for the intervention. First, Venham and Gaulin-Kremer's anxiety scale was completed for them. The motion graphic-based narrative therapy was implemented for six weeks. Session 1 was assigned to filling the questionnaire and collecting data. The motion graphic-based narrative therapy started from the second session. The anxiety scale was filled for the children every ten days for a total of four times. The results were analyzed by Blanchard and Schwarz's progress formula and control charts. The intervention sessions included gathering information, watching motion graphics, relaxation skills, watching the process of performing fluoride varnish therapy, teaching the advantages of fluoride varnish therapy, and in the last session performing fluoride varnish therapy with the technique of attention diversion while watching motion graphics.

RESULTS

The motion graphic-based narrative therapy by the cognitive-behavioral approach proved effective in reducing anxiety. At the end of the intervention sessions, the level of anxiety decreased from 8 to 2.2 and the statistical control chart of the process shows that the intervention process is stable and the stability in order to reduce anxiety and the results are within the control limits.

CONCLUSION

The results show that motion graphic-based narrative therapy can be a psychotherapy method for reducing the symptoms of dental anxiety among children.

Impact of a Dental Storybook on Parents' Knowledge of Children's Oral Health: A Randomized Controlled Trial

PURPOSE

To evaluate the effectiveness of a dental storybook on parents' knowledge about oral health of their children and to assess their perception of its effect in reducing dental anxiety levels among their children, as well as improving their oral health knowledge.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This was a two-arm parallel, single-blind, randomized controlled trial (RCT) which was performed at the pediatric dental clinics in the Dental University Hospital, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Parents of 88 children (6-8 years old) were included in the present study. Parents and their children were randomly divided into two groups as follows: the intervention group (received the storybook and verbal oral hygiene instructions) and the control group (only received verbal oral hygiene instructions; same information included in the book). Three dental visits, including screening, examination/cleaning and treatment, were provided for each child. In the screening visit, baseline parental oral health knowledge was evaluated for all parents. Afterward, parental oral health knowledge was re-evaluated in the examination visit. In the treatment visit, a parental perception questionnaire was administered to parents following treatment to evaluate their satisfaction regarding the use of the storybook in reducing anxiety levels among their children.

RESULTS

There was a significant improvement in the total knowledge score at the follow-up visit in the intervention group compared to the control group (P<0.0001). Overall, the majority of parents perceived the storybook as a useful source of information, and they found it to be effective in reducing dental anxiety levels among their children.

CONCLUSION

The dental storybook is an effective educational tool that can help parents become more knowledgeable about their children's oral health. Moreover, parents perceived the storybook as an effective tool for enhancing their oral health knowledge and lowering their children's dental anxiety.