Evaluating Kaleidoscope and Cartoon Distraction to Reduce Pain and Anxiety During Dental Anesthesia in Children Ages 7 to 12

What this Trial Is About

Dental fear and anxiety are common challenges in pediatric dentistry that can affect how well children cooperate and accept treatment. Local anesthesia injections often cause pain and anxiety in children during dental procedures. This randomized controlled trial aims to compare the effects of two distraction methodsa kaleidoscope and cartoon viewingon reducing pain, fear, and anxiety associated with these injections in children aged 7 to 12 years undergoing dental treatment at Dicle University. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups the Kaleidoscope Group, the Cartoon Distraction Group, or the Control Group. Children in the Kaleidoscope Group will use a kaleidoscope as a visual distraction during the local anesthesia injection, while those in the Cartoon Group will watch cartoons as an audiovisual distraction. The Control Group will receive local anesthesia following routine clinical procedures without any distraction technique. The distraction will be applied before and continued throughout the injection. During the study, pain levels will be measured immediately after the injection using the Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale. Fear and anxiety will be assessed immediately before and after the injection using the Childrens Fear Scale and the Childrens Anxiety Scale-State. Behavioral responses during the injection will be evaluated with the Frankl Behavior Rating Scale. These assessments aim to provide evidence on the effectiveness of simple non-drug distraction techniques to reduce pain and anxiety in children receiving local anesthesia for dental treatment.

The Effect of a Kaleidoscope and Cartoons for Dental Treatment in Children