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Comparative evaluation of effect of two relaxation breathing exercises on anxiety during buccal infiltration anesthesia in children aged 6-12 years: A randomized clinical study

Background: Dental procedures, especially local anesthetic administration, are a source of great anxiety to children. Diaphragmatic breathing is defined as an efficient integrative body–mind training for dealing with stress and psychosomatic conditions. Pinwheel exercise is also a highly effective technique of “play therapy.” Aim: This study aimed to compare dental anxiety using pinwheel breathing exercise and diaphragmatic breathing exercise during buccal infiltration anesthesia. Methodology: Sixty children in the age group of 6–12 years with Frankel's behavior rating score of 3 who required buccal infiltration local anesthesia were selected. Subjects were divided randomly into two groups, i.e., Group A: children who performed pinwheel breathing exercise and Group B: children who performed diaphragmatic breathing exercise. The level of anxiety of the patients was recorded using an animated emoji scale. The data were analyzed using IBM SPSS version 20 software with paired t-test and Chi-square test. Results: There was a significant reduction in dental anxiety score from score 1 (before the anesthetic procedure) to score 2 (after the anesthetic procedure) in both the groups. On intergroup analysis, children who performed pinwheel breathing exercise (Group A) showed higher values than children who performed deep breathing exercise without pinwheel (Group B) with a t value of 1.42 but was not statistically significant with a P value of 0.161. Conclusion: Pinwheel breathing exercise as well as diaphragmatic breathing exercise proved to be significantly effective in reducing dental anxiety during local anesthesia.