Research Article: Effectiveness of Nonpharmacological Behavioural Interventions in Managing Dental Fear and Anxiety among Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Abstract:
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.
Introduction:
Dental fear and anxiety (DFA) among children are considered amongst the greatest daily challenges faced by general and paediatric dentists [1]. Dental fear is a normal emotional reaction to a particular threatening stimulus in a dental situation, while dental anxiety refers to a state of apprehension that something dreadful is going to happen in relation to dental treatment [2]. It is a multifactorial and widespread problem affecting all age groups [3]. The prevalence of DFA varied considerably according to…
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