Dental anxiety in schoolchildren with molar incisor hypomineralization—A population‐based cross‐sectional study.

Background: Identifying patients with high levels of DA helps to define the most adequate oral healthcare strategy, especially for pediatric patients. Aim: To investigate the association between parental reports of dental anxiety (DA) and molar incisor hypomineralization (MIH) in schoolchildren. Design: A cross‐sectional study was conducted in a representative sample of 731 8‐year‐old schoolchildren from the city of Curitiba, Brazil, who were clinically examined (k ≥ 0.75) for the diagnosis of MIH and dental caries using the EAPD criteria and dmft/DMFT index, respectively. Parents/guardians reported children's DA using the Dental Anxiety Question (DAQ) and answered a self‐administered structured questionnaire addressing socioeconomic and demographic characteristics. Associations were evaluated using Poisson regression analysis with robust variance (P < 0.05). Results: A significant association was found between DA and MIH (PR = 1.20; 95%CI: 1.01‐1.42; P = 0.038), but this association lost its significance when adjusted for the other characteristics (PR = 1.13; 95%CI: 0.93‐1.38; P = 0.215). Caries experience in primary teeth was associated with lower levels of DA (PR = 0.83; 95%CI: 0.71‐0.96; P = 0.0013). The most recent visit to the dentist due to pain increased the levels of DA (PR = 1.18; 95%CI: 1.07‐1.30; P = 0.001). Conclusions: The presence of MIH in schoolchildren was not associated with parental reports of DA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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