Abstract
Aim
This was to assess mothers’ attitudes towards dental caries in children aged 12–18 months.
Methods
This study targeted mothers of children aged 12–18 months. Data about demographic and socioeconomic status were collected by interviews with each mother. In addition, the mother was asked about her attitudes regarding caries in her child’s primary teeth. A dental examination of each child was also conducted. Chi-square, bivariate, and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed.
Results
A total of 262 mother–child pairs were included, and 18.7 % of the children had dental caries. If a child presented with dental caries in their primary teeth, 93.5 % of the mothers reported that they would take the child to a dentist. Mothers who had only one child and those who had children with dental caries were more likely to report that they did not expect primary dental caries treatment by the dentist.
Conclusion
Most mothers reported that they would take their children to a dentist when they presented with dental caries. Despite this positive result, educational measures should continue to be emphasised, especially among mothers of children at a higher risk of caries and among first-time mothers.
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Acknowledgments
The authors are grateful to the graduate and undergraduate dental students who helped to perform the interviews and dental examinations. We thank the National Council for the Improvement of Higher Education (CAPES) and National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) (Proc. # 306896/2011-7) for the scholarships. We also gratefully acknowledge the collaboration of the public health center staff and the assistance of the Municipal Secretary of Health.
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da Silveira, E.R., dos Santos Costa, F., Azevedo, M.S. et al. Maternal attitudes towards tooth decay in children aged 12–18 months in Pelotas, Brazil. Eur Arch Paediatr Dent 16, 383–389 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40368-015-0182-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40368-015-0182-z