Parental perspectives on early childhood caries: A qualitative study

Autor(es)

Lotto, Matheus ^[1] ; Strieder, Anna Paola ^[1] ; Ayala Aguirre, Patricia Estefania ^[1] ; Andrade Moreira Machado, Maria Aparecida ^[1] ; Rios, Daniela ^[1] ; Cruvinel, Agnes ^[2] ; Cruvinel, Thiago ^[1]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Bauru Sch Dent, Dept Pediat Dent Orthodont & Publ Hlth, Al Dr Octavio Pinheiro Brisolla 9-75, Vila Univ, BR-17012901 Bauru, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Fed Fronteira Sul, Sch Med, Discipline Publ Hlth, Chapeco, SC - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry; v. 30, n. 4 FEB 2020.
• Citações Web of Science: 2

Resumo

Background Early childhood caries (ECC) affects about 621 million children worldwide, causing chronic pain, infections, sleeping disorders, and tooth extraction. Aim To determine perspectives of parents and caregivers of preschoolers regarding ECC. Design Three focus groups were conducted with attendees of the Clinics of Paediatric Dentistry from the Bauru School of Dentistry. The meetings were video- and audio-recorded, and the contents were transcribed verbatim. Then, textual passages were examined and coded using the software NVivo 12 Plus. Results The participants associated the presence of dental caries lesions with negative consequences for children, such as problems for permanent dentition, discrimination, and psychological damages. Although regular oral hygiene and healthy diet were recognized as important factors for the prevention of ECC, specific doubts about feeding, toothpaste usage, oral hygiene, and dental eruption were detected among parents. Additionally, they declared that their children brush teeth alone, intake fermentable carbohydrates frequently, and sleep during breastfeeding without dental plaque removal, because uncooperativeness, permissiveness, and convenience. Conclusions Based on these results, parents and caregivers understand the unfavourable effects of ECC on children's quality of life; however, their attitudes against the disease seemed to be inaccurate, influenced by their daily routines, doubts, and beliefs. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 17/25899-7 - Estudo clínico randomizado: avaliação da efetividade de um aplicativo para celulares como um auxiliar na prevenção da cárie precoce da infância
• Beneficiário: Matheus Lotto de Almeida Souza
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Mestrado