Volume 24, Issue 106, November - December, 2020

Commonly reported factors influencing the parent’s decision to accept dental treatment under general anesthesia for their children

Ateet Kakti^1♦, Yara Khalid almutawa², Shahad Essa AL-Amoudi³, Shahad Fahad Alsulaiman⁴, Reem Abdulaziz Alghofaily⁴

¹MDS, Pediatric Dentistry, Assistant Professor, Pediatric dentistry, Preventive Department, Riyadh Elm University, Riyadh, KSA
²BDS, General dentist, Riyadh Elm University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
³BDS, Master student and resident, Pediatric Dentistry, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
⁴BDS, Dental student, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

^♦Corresponding author
MDS, Pediatric Dentistry, Assistant Professor, Pediatric dentistry, Preventive Department, Riyadh Elm University, Riyadh, KSA; Email: ateet.kakti@riyadh.edu.sa

ABSTRACT

Background: Dental caries among children is a global healthcare concern in developing and industrialized countries. If left untreated, it leads to immediate and long-term complications that affect the well-being and quality of life of concerned families. Methodology: After behavioral interventions, general anesthesia is used in specific settings when a young patient presents with extensive teeth damage and exhibits a lack of cooperation that is incompatible with conventional dental office care. A questionnaire was distributed to evaluate the possible causes of decision taken to treat the patients under general anesthesia not limited to patients fear and anxiety, very young age without the capacity to cooperate, convenience to the parents, avoiding multiple visits, cost effectiveness, being advised by the referring dentists or the Pediatric dentists decision based on his expert advice, time or cost, parents bad experience with dentist or fear and anxiety about dentistry or the child’s previous bad experience. Results: Parents were asked the reason for choosing REU. Majority of them agreed that it’s cost effective to get treatment at REU. Parents informed that Main reason for dental treatment under GA is Dental fear (48.5%), followed by general health or psychological issues (16.8%), and followed by past negative experiences (11.9%). Conclusion: GA has a very positive impact on parental emotions, activity and conflict. Nonetheless further long term studies are required to assess the definitive outcome.

Keywords: Children, Preschool; Dental Caries; General Anaesthesia; Oral Health; Quality of Life

Medical Science, 2020, 24(106), 4808-4812

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