Premium
Unsweetened ice popsicles impart a positive feeling and reduce self‐mutilation after paediatric dental treatment with local anaesthesia
Author(s) -
RAM DIANA,
BERSON TAMAR,
MOSKOVITZ MOTI,
EFRAT JACOB
Publication year - 2010
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/j.1365-263x.2010.01059.x
Subject(s) - medicine , feeling , intensive care medicine , social psychology , psychology
International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry 2010; 20: 382–388Aim. The purpose of the current study was to assess whether an unsweetened ice‐popsicle imparts a positive feeling to children after dental treatment in which local anaesthesia is administered, and whether it reduces the tendency of children to self‐mutilate (bite the lip, cheek or tongue) after the administration of local anaesthesia. Design. Crossover study of 31 children aged 4–11 years old who needed similar dental treatments on both sides of the mandible or maxilla under local anaesthesia. At the end of each appointment the child received a toy or an ice‐popsicle especially made for this study. Patients and parents answered a questionnaire regarding the children’s behaviour and feeling immediately after the treatment, and 10 and 30 min after receiving the ice‐popsicle or toy. Results. Children who received ice‐popsicles after dental treatment under local anaesthesia felt less discomfort and suffered less soft tissue trauma than they did when they received a toy. Reduction in soft tissue trauma was evident 10 min after receiving the ice‐popsicles. Conclusion. Licking of an ice‐popsicle after dental treatment with local anaesthesia reduces the feeling of discomfort and the biting of soft tissue and self‐ mutilation.