Oral Health and Dental Management

Child?s preferred colors role in a pedodontic practice based on children?s heart rates

2^nd International Conference and Exhibition on Dental & Oral Health

April 21-23, 2014 Crown Plaza Dubai, UAE

Shady Ahmed Moussa

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: Oral Health Dent Manag

Abstract:

The dental environment is one of the significant factor causing dental fear and anxiety. If the dental environment colors can precipitate a positive impact on the child?s behavior, then those colors may adapt more comfort and relaxation, thus reducing dental anxiety. Aim: To evaluate the association between colors and emotions of children in dental set-up based on heart rate. Design: A total of 250 children aged from 4-13 years were divided into 2 groups: (group I, 4-9 years, n=115) and (group II, 9-13 years, n=135). All the children were asked to shade two cartoon faces representing happiness and fear with their best preferred color. Each child?s heart rate was monitored during shading with a pulse oximeter that was clipped to the thumb of each child for 30 seconds. Results: The color preference for positive and negative emotion was compared based on their anxiety level by recording heart rates and age group. A total of 89 children (77. 39%) of the group (I) were anxious and 26 children (22. 6%) were non-anxious. 47 children (34. 81%) of group (II) were anxious and 88 children (65. 18%) were non-anxious. Dental anxiety was more in group (I) with significant difference than the group (II), P<0. 05. Both anxious and nonanxious children preferred yellow followed by green and blue for positive emotion. However, in comparison by age, group (I) children preferred yellow significantly more and group (II) non anxious children preferred Green, P<0. 001. On the other hand, anxious and non-anxious children preferred red followed by grey and black for negative emotion. The color preference for negative emotion among anxious and non-anxious children in relation with their age group was statistically insignificant, P<0. 001. Conclusion: The use of child?s preferred colors like yellow, Green and blue in the dental work place could enhance a positive attitude in the child?s mind during dental.

Biography :

Shady Ahmed Moussa received his Doctor of Dental Surgery in 2000 from Cairo University (Egypt) and his Postgraduate Master and his PhD both in Pediatric Dentistry and Oral Public Health from Al-Azhar University, Egypt in 2006 and 2012 respectively. He is a Lecturer in Zagazig University, and is currently working as Consultant of Pediatric Dentistry in King Saud Hospital (Saudi Arabia). He has published several articles in peer-reviewed journals.