Anxiety in mothers and children with sensory impairments after dental treatment

Children with sensory impairment are at a higher risk of having oral problems because of their condition. For this reason, these children and their mothers likely experience greater anxiety in facing dental treatments. In particular, stress and anxiety in mothers can influence their children's behavior, as the emotional bond between mothers and children with sensory impairment is often strong because of the child's condition. Levels of salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) have shown to be a non-invasive indicator of anxiety levels in individuals. This study aimed to assess the relationship between sAA levels in mothers and children with sensory impairment after dental treatment. Sixty pairs of children with sensory impairment and their mothers were enrolled in this experiment. Dental prophylaxis was performed on children and followed by measurement of sAA without the presence of their mothers. After children were done with treatment, the mothers' sAA levels were separately recorded in the waiting room. A significant positive correlation was found between sAA level of mothers and children with sensory impairment (r=0.309; p<0.05). This positive correlation demonstrates that controlling maternal anxiety would also be beneficial for reducing anxiety in children with sensory impairment during dental treatment.