Table 1 The relationship between dental anxiety and oral health behaviors, oral health status, HBM variables and general anxiety

 Boys

619 (53.4)

369 (57.9)

250 (47.9)*

1

546 (54.7)

73 (45.9)*

1

 Girls

540 (46.6)

268 (42.1)

272 (52.1)*

1.50 (1.19–1.89)

453 (45.3)

86 (54.1)*

1.42 (1.02–1.99)

 Elementary school

84 (7.8)

39 (6.6)

45 (9.3)

1

68 (7.3)

16 (10.5)

1

 High school

741 (68.7)

400 (67.3)

341 (70.3)

0.74 (0.47–1.16)

634 (68.5)

107 (69.9)

0.72 (0.40–1.28)

 College or above

254 (23.5)

155 (26.1)

99 (20.4)*

0.55 (0.34–0.91)

224 (24.2)

30 (19.6)

0.57 (0.29–1.11)

 Elementary school

128 (11.7)

54 (8.9)

74 (15.0)*

1

108 (11.5)

20 (12.9)

1

 High school

740 (67.5)

410 (67.9)

330 (66.9)

0.59 (0.40–0.86)

633 (67.2)

107 (69.0)

0.91 (0.54–1.53)

 College or above

229 (20.9)

140 (23.2)

89 (18.1)*

0.46 (0.30–0.72)

201 (21.3)

28 (18.1)

0.75 (0.41–1.40)

 HK$15,000 or below

183 (18.1)

91 (16.3)

92 (20.3)

1

147 (16.9)

35 (24.6)*

1

 HK$15,001 -50,000

688 (67.9)

383 (68.5)

305 (67.2)

0.79 (0.57–1.09)

595 (68.4)

93 (65.5)

0.66 (0.43–1.01)

 HK$50,001 or above

142 (14.0)

85 (15.2)

57 (12.6)

0.66 (0.43–1.03)

128 (14.7)

14 (9.9)

0.46 (0.24–0.89)

 Once a day or less often

372 (32.1)

201 (31.6)

171 (32.8)

1

310 (31.0)

61 (38.4)

1

 Twice or more a day

787 (67.9)

436 (68.4)

351 (67.2)

0.95 (0.74–1.21)

689 (69.0)

98 (61.6)

0.72 (0.51–1.02)

 Never or less than once a week

924 (79.7)

503 (79.0)

421 (80.7)

1

790 (79.2)

132 (83.0)

1

 At least once a week

235 (20.3)

134 (21.0)

101 (19.3)

0.47 (0.67–1.20)

208 (20.8)

27 (17.0)

0.78 (0.50–1.21)

 Rare or less than once a week

212 (18.3)

509 (79.9)

438 (83.9)

1

191 (19.1)

20 (12.6)*

1

 Several times a week or daily

947 (81.7)

128 (20.1)

84 (16.1)

1.30 (0.97–1.78)

807 (80.9)

139 (87.4)*

1.64 (1.00–2.70)

 No

889 (76.7)

478 (75.0)

411 (78.7)

1

724 (74.9)

127 (82.5)*

1

 Yes

270 (23.3)

159 (25.0)

111 (21.3)

0.81 (0.62–1.08)

243 (25.1)

27 (17.5)*

0.63 (0.41–0.98)

Variable

Total group

DMFT = 0

DMFT ≥1

p

No or mild dental anxiety

Severe dental anxiety

p

Perceived susceptibility (Mean ± SD)^a

2.7 ± 0.9

2.5 ± 0.9

2.8 ± 0.9

< 0.001

2.6 ± 0.9

2.9 ± 0.9

< 0.01

Perceived severity (Mean ± SD)^a

3.7 ± 0.9

3.7 ± 0.9

3.7 ± 0.9

0.24

3.7 ± 0.9

3.8 ± 0.8

0.03

Perceived benefits (Mean ± SD)^a

3.7 ± 0.6

3.7 ± 0.6

3.7 ± 0.6

0.54

3.7 ± 0.6

3.7 ± 0.6

0.65

Perceived barriers (Mean ± SD)^a

2.3 ± 0.8

2.2 ± 0.8

2.4 ± 0.8

0.001

2.2 ± 0.8

2.4 ± 0.8

0.02

Cues to action (Mean ± SD)^a

2.1 ± 0.9

2.1 ± 0.9

2.1 ± 0.9

0.90

2.1 ± 0.9

2.0 ± 0.9

0.22

Self-efficacy (Mean ± SD)^a

3.5 ± 1.0

3.5 ± 1.0

3.4 ± 1.0

0.27

3.5 ± 1.0

3.3 ± 1.0

< 0.05

General anxiety score (Mean ± SD)^a

4.8 ± 5.2

–

–

–

4.4 ± 5.0

7.4 ± 5.5

< 0.001

Variable

Total group

DMFT = 0

DMFT ≥1

OR (95% CI)

No dental anxiety

Dental anxiety

OR (95% CI)

 DMFT = 0

637 (55.0)

–

–

–

569 (57.0)

67 (42.1)*

1

 DMFT ≥1

522 (45.0)

–

–

–

439 (43.0)

92 (57.9)*

1.82 (1.30–2.56)