Prevalence of dental fear and its relationship to dental caries and gingival disease among school children in Puducherry: A cross-sectional study

Background: Dental fear in children has a devastating effect on their behavior which includes them to have a predetermined notion that the dental treatment would be of a painful experience. Aims and Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the prevalence of dental fear and its association with dental caries and gingival disease in 6-12-year-old school children in Puducherry. Materials and Methods: A total of 400 school children (200 boys) and (200 girls) were selected randomly between 6 and 12 years age group. Children completed a modified questionnaire from dental fear survey questionnaire and undertook an oral examination using decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) Index and Loe and Silness gingival index (GI). Results: Prevalence of low to moderate “general dental fear” was 46%, and while that of high dental fear was 72%. The mean DMFT (1.82 ± 1.74) and GI (1.02 ± 0.54) of boys was not significantly different from the DMFT (1.96 ± 81) and GI (0.95 ± 0.55) of girls (P > 0.05). Spearman’s correlation test demonstrated negative correlation between age and dental fear (r = −0.523; P = 0.005). Conclusion: No significant alteration was found between male and female children regarding DMFT and gingival scores. Dental fear scores decreased with increasing age. No association was found between dental fear and DMFT and GI scores.