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Prevalence of dental anxiety in children and adolescents globally: A systematic review with meta‐analyses
Author(s) -
Grisolia Barbara Monteiro,
dos Santos Ana Paula Pires,
Dhyppolito Izabel Monteiro,
Buchanan Heather,
Hill Kirsty,
Oliveira Branca Heloisa
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
international journal of paediatric dentistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.183
H-Index - 62
eISSN - 1365-263X
pISSN - 0960-7439
DOI - 10.1111/ipd.12712
Subject(s) - medicine , observational study , anxiety , meta analysis , pediatrics , psychiatry , pathology
Background Dental anxiety (DA) negatively impacts oral health–related quality of life, and patients with DA usually require more dental treatment time. Aim To describe the global prevalence of DA in children and adolescents and to examine the influence of individual factors (age, sex, and caries experience) and variables related to DA measurement on pooled prevalence. Design Systematic review with meta‐analyses of observational studies published between 1985 and 2020 (PROSPERO CRD42014013879). Results Searches yielded 1207 unique records; 224 full‐text articles were screened, and 50 studies were used in the qualitative and quantitative synthesis. No study was considered as having high methodological quality according to ‘The Joanna Briggs Institute assessment tool’. Overall pooled DA prevalence was 23.9% (95% CI 20.4, 27.3). Pooled prevalence in preschoolers, schoolchildren, and adolescents was as follows: 36.5% (95% CI 23.8, 49.2), 25.8% (95% CI 19.5, 32.1), and 13.3% (95% CI 9.5, 17.0), respectively. DA was significantly more prevalent in preschool children (one study) and schoolchildren (two studies) with caries experience and in female adolescents (one study). The scale used for DA assessment was shown to influence pooled prevalence in preschoolers and adolescents. Conclusion DA is a frequent problem in 3‐ to 18‐year‐olds worldwide, more prevalent in schoolchildren and preschool children than in adolescents.