Evaluation of toothache severity in children using a visual analogue scale of faces.

PURPOSE: Pain is a frequent symptom of oral disease. It is difficult to measure, however, due to its subjectivity, especially among children. The purpose of this study was to verify the utility and applicability of a visual analogue scale of faces (VASOF), adapted for 8- to 9-year-olds, to measure the severity of toothaches. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was undertaken, which included 601 boys and girls randomly selected from state and private schools in the city of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. They were interviewed and clinically examined, and a VASOF was applied. RESULTS: The VASOF's application revealed a high percentage of intense/very intense pain in the sample (39%). The presence of this pain intensity was accompanied by a high incidence of children who cried, were awakened by the pain, and were unable to carry out habitual tasks. Furthermore, this severe pain was strongly associated with less-privileged economic groups and the presence of oral pathology (P< or =.05). The scale was well understood by children, independent of gender or economic group. CONCLUSIONS: A VASOF was found to be capable of measuring toothache severity experienced by school-age children.