Estimation of Toothpaste Fluoride Intake in Preschool Children

• Autor(a) principal: Nascimento,Helena Aguiar Ribeiro do
• Data de Publicação: 2013
• Outros Autores: Ferreira,Jainara Maria Soares, Granville-Garcia,Ana Flávia, Costa,Edja Maria Melo de Brito, Cavalcante,Ana Lúcia Almeida, Sampaio,Fábio Correia
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Brazilian Dental Journal
• Texto Completo: http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0103-64402013000200142
• topic: toothpaste; fluoride; child; dental fluorosis

The objective of this study was to estimate the intake of toothpaste fluoride used by children aged 2 to 6 years (n=87) treated at a hospital of a medium-sized city (Campina Grande, PB) in the Northeastern region of Brazil. Data regarding sociodemographic characteristics of families and children's toothbrushing were collected from questionnaire-based interviews with parents/guardians, and the amount of fluoride used during toothbrushing was estimated using a precision scale for assessment of the risk of dental fluorosis, considering a cutoff value of 0.07 mgF/kg body weight/day. Fluoride content in the toothpastes was analyzed using a specific fluoride electrode. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics using the chi-square and Fisher's exact tests (α=0.05). Considering the use of the derice, the risk of fluorosis in the children was 19.5%. There was significant association (p<0.05) between the risk of fluorosis, brushing frequency, type of derice and who performed the child's oral hygiene. It was concluded that a high percentage of children in the studied sample used toothpaste inappropriately and were at risk of developing dental fluorosis.