The family impact of dental general anaesthesia in children: A meta‐analysis

Background The health and well‐being of children are intimately linked to their parents’ physical, emotional, and social health and social circumstances. Aim To conduct a meta‐analysis of studies that have used the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale ( ECOHIS ) and Child Oral Health‐Related Quality of Life ( COHRQ oL) instruments, to evaluate the family impact scale ( FIS ) changes following their children's dental treatment under general anaesthesia ( DGA ). Methodology A systematic search was undertaken using the PRISMA guidelines. The inclusion criteria consisted of patients below 16 years of age, DGA , pre‐ and post‐operative assessments, and the use of ECOHIS and COHRQ oL. FIS changes were the primary outcome measure, where the mean difference ( MD ) was calculated. Results After initial search of 105 studies in the database, twenty‐one articles were included in the analysis. A positive outcome in the FIS changes was identified in all studies. The combined MD for FIS using ECOHIS and COHRQ oL was 1.52 [95% CI : 1.15‐1.89; P  < 0.00001; I 2 =87%] and 1.10 [95% CI : 0.68‐1.52; P  < 0.00001; I 2 =79%], respectively. Conclusions Dental treatment with general anaesthesia for children had a significant positive impact on parental emotions, activity, and conflict. Following DGA , there was significant improvement in the FIS , with large MD .