Association of Sociodemographics, Healthcare Access, Dental Services and Oral Guidance with Dentifrice Type Used by Preschool Children.

Purpose: To evaluate associations between sociodemographic factors, healthcare setting, dental service access and oral health guidance with the type of dentifrice used by preschool children.

Methods

Data were collected from available clinical records of children aged 0 to 5 years who had a first visit in a university-based pediatric dental clinic in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, between 2015 and 2024. Eligible children had at least 1 erupted tooth. Variables included caregiver age (30 years or younger and older than 30 years), caregiver education (12 years or less and more than 12 years), household income (10 minimum wages or less or more than 10 minimum wages), healthcare setting (public or private), previous dental visits (yes/no), prior information on caries prevention (yes/no), source of oral health guidance (health professionals or laypersons) and maternal dental care during pregnancy (yes/no). The outcome variable was dentifrice type???fluoridated (at least 1,000 PPM) or nonfluoridated (less than 1,000 PPM). Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed (α=0.05).

Results

Most children were treated in public health services (67.8%) and used fluoridated dentifrice (83.1%). Only 47.5% had seen a dentist before. Mothers were the primary caregivers in 85.5% of cases and 83.1% had no more than 12 years of education. Use of fluoridated dentifrice was significantly associated with receiving oral health guidance from professionals (P=0.039), previous dental visits (P=0.018) and lower maternal education (P=0.007).

Conclusion

The use of fluoridated dentifrice among preschool children was associated with previous dental visits, lower maternal education and professional oral health guidance.