The Effect of Music on Children’s Anxiety During Dental Treatment
Author(s): Zuhair M Alkahtani, Meer Zakirulla*, Elaf S Alshehri, Asma M Alqahtani and Maha M Alshehri
Abstract
Background: This study aimed to determine the effect of music on children’s anxiety during dental treatment.
Materials and Methods: The current study was a cross-sectional survey. Total 50 children were selected by convenience sampling method of children aged from 5 to 14 years old, attending outpatient paediatric dental clinics in Female College of Dentistry King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia. Voluntary written informed consent was taken from the parents before the collection of data. Modified Child Dental Anxiety Scale faces version (MCDASf) used to determine the dental anxiety level. The questionnaire data were collected from patients before and after treatment. Questionnaires were translated into the local language (Arabic) and then back to English in order to ensure that the translated version gives the proper meaning. The data were entered and analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS 20). The difference in the prevalence of supernumerary teeth between gender was assessed with the chi-square test (p<0.05 significance level).
Results: 31(62%) of participants were relaxed after they were asked question regarding the feeling about the dentist in general. 36(72%) were relaxed, when asked about the opinion about checking your teeth compared to before music therapy was 24(48%). 39(78%) of participants feel relaxed if the treatment done today after music therapy. 40(80%) of children said that they feel calm and comfortable after hearing to music during treatment.
Conclusions: Treatment for a paediatric patient in the clinical setup is very challenging for pedodontists. Many pharmacological techniques were introduced; music distraction is one of them to manage children in the dental clinic. This study indicated that relaxing music could decrease the state anxiety and stress of paediatric patients during dental treatment.