Does previous dental care experience make the child less anxious? An evaluation of anxiety and fear of pain.

PURPOSE: Evidence has shown an inverse correlation between previous dental care experience and anxiety levels in children. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of dental anxiety in Brazilian schoolchildren and to evaluate the association between previous experience with the dentist and anxiety and fear of pain. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study carried out in two cities in Brazil with 1191 schoolchildren aged 6-12 years. The data were collected through interviews and clinical examination. The interviews followed the Dental Anxiety Question (DAQ), the Fear of Dental Pain Questionnaire Short Form (S-FDPQ) adapted to children, and some sociodemographic questions. RESULTS: Dental anxiety was more prevalent in the younger group, with a higher prevalence of moderate and severe anxiety. The group with extreme anxiety showed a higher prevalence of extreme fear, whereas the group who did not present anxiety showed a higher prevalence of children with moderate fear of pain. Children who had not visited the dentist showed a higher prevalence of fear and a lot of fear (33.5%) as compared to those who had already experienced dental care (13.9%). The prevalence of severe anxiety and extreme fear of pain was higher in the group of female children aged 6-9 years, and with caries experience (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The experience with the dentist was associated with less anxiety and fear of pain. The age of the child was a determining factor for changes in their anxiety level. Severe dental anxiety influences fear of pain experienced by the child.