The results suggest that the CFSS-DS is reliable and valid and operates in Japan as it does in other cultures.

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The purpose of this investigation was to initiate the study of dental fear in Japan. 415 college students, aged 18-22 yr were surveyed. A standardized questionnaire which has been used in the United States was translated into Japanese and was administered to the students. More than 80% of those surveyed reported some dental fear. Six to 14% of the students reported extreme fear of the dentist. The majority of the subjects admitted that they delayed making dental appointments due to fear. Muscle tension was the most common physiological symptom reported. The dental drill and needle were the most fear-provoking stimuli.

Background: This study established the reliability and cross-cultural validity of a Japanese version of the Dental Fear Survey (DFS).

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The aim of this study was to assess risk behaviors and its association with caries activity and dental caries in Japanese children. The subjects were 392 young Japanese children who underwent dental health checkup at 18, 30 and 42 months of age. Oral examinations, Cariostat tests and dental health questionnaires were carried out at each time. The caries prevalence of children was 1.5% at 18 months, 9.9% at 30 months and 28.1% at 42 months. Caries activity based on the Cariostat scores of children was correlated with caries status (caries-free/carious) at 42 months. In children with caries during each examination period at 42 months, eating snacks while playing was ranked as the most important behavioral risk (PϽ0.001), followed by breast-feeding (PϽ0.01), non setting of time for snacks (PϽ0.05) and frequency of snacks (PϽ0.05) at 18 months old; non brushing by mother (PϽ0.05) and eating snacks while playing (PϽ0.05) were ranked highest at 30 months old. In addition, eating snacks while playing (PϽ0.001) at 42 months old was the only a significant factor for children with caries. Caries activity and risk behaviors were associated with caries experience at different age periods of childhood. invented by Shimono in 1974 3). The test measures acid production capacity and can predict the occurrence of caries with good validity and reliability in young children or effective for screening high-risk populations in young children 4,5). The colonization of the mouth by cariogenic bacteria is by human transmission, mostly from mothers, fathers, caregivers to infants, and depends upon the rearing style given to infants and the quantity of harbored bacteria of the rearing individual. There is no single test that takes into consideration all these factors and can accurately predict an individual's susceptibility to caries. The risk of dental caries can be evaluated by analyzing and integrating several causative factors. Thus, this study was made to analyze risk behaviors that cause dental decay and assess risk behaviors and its association with caries activity and dental caries in Japanese children.

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