Saúde bucal e educação infantil: avaliação do desgaste e do acondicionamento de escovas dentárias utilizadas por pré-escolares

• Autor(a) principal: Garbin, Cléa Adas Saliba [UNESP]
• Data de Publicação: 2012
• Outros Autores: Rovida, Tânia Adas Saliba [UNESP], Garbin, Artênio José Isper [UNESP], Arcieri, Renato Moreira [UNESP], Souza, Neila Paula de [UNESP], Moimaz, Suzely Adas Saliba [UNESP]
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Repositório Institucional da UNESP
• Texto Completo: http://revodontolunesp.com.br/article/51ae4aa81ef1faca3d0038bb; http://hdl.handle.net/11449/133371
• topic: Toothbrushing; Dental devices; Home care; Oral hygiene; Health education; Child; Preschool; Escovação dentária; Dispositivos para o cuidado bucal domiciliar; Higiene bucal; Educação em saúde; Pré-escolar

Introduction: Early childhood is an essential phase of life for the future of oral health. The link between educational and health sectors can facilitate incorporating educational and preventive oral health practices in daily teaching in pre-schools. The main measure is manual tooth-brushing, which is the most accessible method for most of the population. Objective: The objective of this study is to evaluate macroscopically the wear on the bristles, form of storage, and identification of tooth brushes. Material and method: 345 toothbrushes used by children between the ages of 2 and 5 were evaluated in 4 pre-schools, by 2 participants from the oral health program. The Rawls et al. index was used to evaluate the bristles. Result: There were statistically significant differences (p = 0.020 - Mann-Whitney U test) between the frequency of toothbrushes, with the highest being (n = 205) stored at participating school; and, between adequate and inadequate brushes (p < 0.05 - X2 test) with 31.7 and 60%, respectively, classified as unfit for tooth-brushing. Of the toothbrush holders evaluated 100% were used collectively. Regarding identification, 18% of the toothbrushes were not identified in participating schools, and 37% in the others. Conclusion: The toothbrushes exhibited marked wear, and storage was inadequate; however, the schools participating in the oral health program showed toothbrushes with bristles less worn. It is suggested that training of educators regarding correct storage and evaluation of toothbrushes for wear of the bristles should be undertaken in all early childhood schools.