Current Pediatric Research

Objective: To investigate the knowledge of pediatric doctors about the prescription of toothpaste in children, about the recommendation of using a pacifier and about the recommendation of the child's first visit to the dentist Study design: Through a questionnaire approved by the national ethics committee, confidential interviews were conducted with 546 pediatric doctors through visits to private offices, hospitals and through interviews at a congress in the area. Results: The 546 pediatric doctors, only 176 voluntarily participated in the study. 35 doctors (19.9%) do not recommend fluoride toothpaste for children, 18 (10.2%) recommend only after the age of 6, 41 (23.3%) recommend only after the age of 2, 72 doctors (40.9%) recommended fluoride toothpaste since the first tooth eruption in children and 10 doctors (5.7%) did not respond. Regarding the recommendation of using a pacifier, 103 doctors (58.5%) do not provide any kind of guidance, 46 (26.1%) recommend using up to 3 or 4 years old, 4 (2.3%) recommend use until the age a child wishes and 23 (13.1%) did not answer 139 (79%) recommend that the first visit to the dentist should be after first tooth eruption, 35 (19.9%) that first visit at the age of 1 to 2 years, 2 (1.1%) only in need of treatment or pain. Conclusion: Only 40% of Brazilian pediatric doctors recommend using fluoride toothpaste since the first eruption of the baby tooth. Most doctors do not give any guidance about the use of pacifier. Most doctors recommend that first visit to the dentist should be when first tooth eruption

Author(s): Renato Barcellos Rédua*, Kamilla Pessanha Kunsch, Cristiane Ferreira Camargo Bazan, Jaquelini Lorenzon

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