Preschool-age children who undergo dental treatment under general anesthesia (DGA) may experience better oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL), according to a study recently published in BMC Oral Health.
However, DGA may not successfully reduce dental fear and anxiety in children, the authors wrote.
“Dental treatment with general anesthesia significantly improved the OHRQoL of children,” wrote the authors, led by Tu Huang of the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (BMC Oral Health, May 23, 2025, Vol. 5, 774).
For the review, a comprehensive search of PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library was conducted through July 20, 2023, with an update on April 10, 2024. Thirteen studies using a pre-post design were included, focusing on the impact of DGA on OHRQoL and dental fear in preschool-age children, the authors wrote.
Additionally, a meta-analysis was performed using a random effects model, and the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS) questionnaire assessed OHRQoL, and the Children’s Fear Survey Schedule-Dental Subscale (CFSS-DS) measured dental fear.
The studies that reported ECOHIS scores before and after DGA focused on children under 6 years old. Follow-up assessments were completed between one and four weeks after the DGA, with all studies showing a statistically significant reduction in ECOHIS scores. The analysis showed a significant difference in mean ECOHIS scores between pretreatment and post-treatment groups (mean difference [MD] = 9.61; 95% confidence interval [CI], 6.28 to 12.93; p < 0.00001), they wrote.
Furthermore, among the nine studies examining CFSS-DS scores, only three reported both pre and post-treatment data. While one study found a significant decrease in dental fear, the other two showed no meaningful improvement, with the overall analysis indicating no significant difference in CFSS-DS scores (MD = 5.53; 95% CI, -16.48 to 27.54; p = 0.62).
However, the study had limitations. The included articles lacked detailed information on dental treatment and factors affecting dental fear, highlighting the need for more comprehensive studies examining both clinical outcomes and the treatment process, the authors added.
“DGA should be regarded as a comprehensive treatment option with significant potential,” Huang and colleagues wrote.
