Music Distraction Strategy in Children Dental Care

Feelings like anxiety can alter the levels of blood oxygenation from individuals in different situations, like during dental treatment. This cross over trial aimed to analyze the use of music as a distraction resource during children dental treatment, evaluating their cardiac and respiratory frequency. Thirty-four children took part in this study, 16 boys and 18 girls, from 4 to 6 years old, with no previous dental experience, who had two carious lesions on occlusal surfaces of molars, from the 2 municipalities of southeast Brasil. Children were selected through oral clinical exams, conducted in public schools. After parents signed a written consent; children were allocated in two groups: treatment with music (G1) and treatment without music (G2). Children acted as controls of themselves: the cross between groups allowed all children to be treated with and without music. Three dental visits were, scheduled in a weekly basis, the first for anamnesis and clinical examination; the second and third for the modified atraumatic restorative treatment (ARTm). The Mozart Symphony No 40 in G minor K550 was played in headphones. Cardiac and respiratory frequencies were obtained using a pulse oximeter, with the measures being taken in three moments: in the beginning of the treatment, during the intervention (use of a rotating device) and at the end of the treatment. Data were compiled and analyzed through the statistic software Statistical Analyse. The Wilcoxon test was used for inter and intra groups comparison (p<0,050).

Music worked as a reassuring instrument during children dental treatment.