Exploring Influences on Children’s Behavior toward Dental Prophylaxis

Aims: Children’s behavior can vary according to several factors associated with individual characteristics and external factors such as social and family issues. This study aimed to analyze and compare the behavior of children undergoing dental prophylaxis using a low-rotation handpiece versus a toothbrush, while also examining the relationship with their oral health status, as well as demographic and socioeconomic factors.

Study Design: This was a cross-sectional study.

Place and Duration of Study: The study included children aged between 4 and 12 years who were seen at the Pediatric Dentistry clinic of the Faculty of Dentistry at the Federal University of Alfenas (UNIFAL-MG) from March to July, 2023.

Methodology: These questions were evaluated using Frankl’s Behavior Rating Scale, to assess children’s behavior, the DMFT/dmft index to assess the oral condition, and a questionnaire to assess socioeconomic and demographic conditions. The data was analyzed using IBM SPSS software version 22.0 (P<0.05), using the Kruskal-Wallis and Chi-Square tests.

Results: A total of 153 children were included, 52.3% (n=80) of whom underwent prophylaxis using toothbrush. The mean age of the children was 7.62 (±2.32) years, of which 53.6% (n=82) were male. In this analysis, an association was observed between definitely negative behavior with children of single parents (P=.01), with higher severity of caries disease (P=.02), with a greater number of decayed teeth (2.39 (±3.26), P=.005), with a high DMFT index (5.13 (±3.50), P=.04) and with children who had primary teeth (P=.01).

Conclusion: The method of dental prophylaxis did not significantly impact the children’s behavior in this sample. However, children who exhibited uncooperative behavior had more decayed teeth and worse oral condition severity. Knowing this, it is possible to choose some methods more accurately so that the child feels more welcome at the first visit, such as the use of management techniques like the tell-show-do technique, the modeling technique and also the use of distractions, such as videos, books and other media.