Abstract
Aims
To assess via a questionnaire the changes in knowledge and prescription habits for systemic fluoride of physicians at maternal and infant protection centres (MIP) and paediatricians in private practice (PPP) in the Brittany region between 2003 and 2014.
Methods
In both 2003 and 2014, the same seven-question survey was mailed to PPP (110 in 2003 and 101 in 2014) and MIP (61 in 2003 and 71 in 2014). An eighth question was added in 2014 about French guidelines published in 2008 (AFSSAPS guidelines).
Results
The overall response rate was significantly higher in 2003 (69.0%) than in 2014 (54.7%). In 2014 systemic fluoride was still considered an effective means of caries prevention (79.8% vs. 98.7% in 2003) and systematic prescription of fluoride supplements was less common (39.4 vs. 87.0% in 2003). When prescribed, systemic fluoride was given after the first 6 months of a child’s life in 2014 (79.8%) instead of within the first month of life (73.5%) in 2003.
Conclusions
Paediatricians and MIP physicians in Brittany were significantly less prone to routinely prescribe systemic fluoride in 2014. Certain sources of fluoride were still not well known in 2014. Collaboration and information sharing between dentists and physicians is necessary.
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
AFSSAPS (is now ANSM) is a French government agency with jurisdical aspects of pharmaceutical, biological, medical and cosmetic products which, in relation with the French Ministry of Health and controls and regulates health.
UFSBD: French Union for Oral Health.
References
AAPD (American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry). Guidelines on fluoride therapy; 2014. http://www.aapd.org/media/Policies_Guidelines/G_fluoridetherapy.pdf. Accessed 21 Oct 2016.
AFSSAPS (French Agency for Safety of Health products). Utilisation du fluor dans la prévention de la carie dentaire avant l’âge de 18 ans; 2008. http://ansm.sante.fr/. Accessed 10 Oct 2016.
Assathiany R, Salinier C, Opsahl-Vital S, Courson F. Afssaps Guidelines on fluoride use: knowledge and adherence by pediatricians. Arch Pediatr. 2010;17:778–9 (in French).
Balaban R, Aquiar CM, de Silva Araujo AC, Dias Filho EB. Knowledge of paediatricians regarding child oral health. Int J Paediatr Dent. 2012;22:286–91.
Buzalaf MA, Levy SM. Fluoride intake of children: considerations for dental caries and dental fluorosis. Monogr Oral Sci. 2011;22:1–19.
Cochran JA, Ketley CE, Duckworth RM, et al. Development of a standardized method for comparing fluoride ingested from toothpaste by 1.5-3.5-year-old children in seven European countries. Part 2: ingestion results. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2004;32(Suppl 1):47–53.
Di Giuseppe G, Nobile CG, Marinelli A, Angelillo IF. Knowledge, attitude and practices of pediatricians regarding the prevention of oral diseases in Italy. BMC Public Health. 2006;6:176.
Ditto MR, Jones JE, Sanders B, et al. Pediatrician’s role in children’s oral health: an Indiana survey. Clin Pediatr (Phila). 2010;49:12–9.
dos Santos AP, Nadanovsky P, de Oliveira BH. Inconsistencies in recommendations on oral hygiene practices for children by professional dental and paediatric organisations in ten countries. Int J Paediatr Dent. 2011;21:223–31.
EAPD. Guidelines on the use of fluoride in children an EAPD policy document. Eur Arch Paediatr Dent. 2009;10:129–35.
Fejerskov O. Changing paradigms in concepts on dental caries: consequences for oral health care. Caries Res. 2004;38:182–91.
HAS—Haute Autorité de Santé (High Health Authority). Stratégies de prévention de la carie dentaire—Mars 2010 (in French); 2010. http://www.has-sante.fr. Accessed 30 June 2016.
Hellwig E, Lennon AM. Systemic versus topical fluoride. Caries Res. 2004;38:258–62.
Herndon JB, Tomar SL, Lossius MN, Catalanotto FA. Preventive oral health care in early childhood: knowledge, confidence, and practices of pediatricians and family physicians in Florida. J Pediatr. 2010;157:1018–24.
Joseph C, Velly AM, Pierre A, Bourgeois D, Muller-Bolla M. Dental health of 6-year-old children in Alpes Maritimes, France. Eur Arch Paediatr Dent. 2011;12:256–63.
Kobayashi CA, Belini MR, Italiani Fde M, et al. Factors influencing fluoride ingestion from dentifrice by children. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2011;39:426–32.
Lewis CW, Grossman DC, Domoto PK, Deyo RA. The role of the pediatrician in the oral health of children: a national survey. Pediatrics. 2000;106:E84.
Lewis CW, Boulter S, Keels MA, et al. Oral health and pediatricians: results of a national survey. Acad Pediatr. 2009;9:457–61.
Marthaler TM. Salt fluoridation and oral health. Acta Med Acad. 2013;42:140–55.
Petersen PE. Global policy for improvement of oral health in the 21st century—implications to oral health research of World Health Assembly 2007, World Health Organization. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2009;37:1–8.
Quinonez RB, Kranz AM, Lewis CW, et al. Oral health opinions and practices of pediatricians: updated results from a national survey. Acad Pediatr. 2014;14:616–23.
Roberts MW, Keels MA, Sharp MC, Lewis JL Jr. Fluoride supplement prescribing and dental referral patterns among academic pediatricians. Pediatrics. 1998;101:E6.
Sabbagh HJ, El-Kateb M, Al Nowaiser A, Hanno AG, Alamoudi NH. Assessment of pediatricians dental knowledge, attitude and behavior in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. J Clin Pediatr Dent. 2011;35:371–6.
Sampaio FC, Levy SM. Systemic fluoride. Monogr Oral Sci. 2011;22:133–45.
Sixou JL, Bailleul-Forrestier I, Dajean-Trutaud S, Vaysse F. Recommandations sur la prescription des fluorures de la naissance à l’adolescence. J Odont-Stomatol Pediatr. 2004;11:157–68 (in French).
Tubert-Jeannin S, Auclair C, Amsallem E, et al. Fluoride supplements (tablets, drops, lozenges or chewing gums) for preventing dental caries in children. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2011;12:CD007592.
Wagner Y, Heinrich-Weltzien R. Pediatricians’ oral health recommendations for 0- to 3-year-old children: results of a survey in Thuringia, Germany. BMC Oral Health. 2014;14:44.
Wong MC, Glenny AM, Tsang BW, et al. Topical fluoride as a cause of dental fluorosis in children. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2010;1:CD007693.
Zohoori FV, Duckworth RM, Omid N, O’Hare WT, Maguire A. Fluoridated toothpaste: usage and ingestion of fluoride by 4- to 6-yr-old children in England. Eur J Oral Sci. 2012;120:415–21.
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to acknowledge Professor Richard Widmer (Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, Australia), Dr Paul Riordan, Dr Jonathan Schuite and Céline Allaire for valuable editorial assistance.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Appendix
Appendix
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Palmada, E., Gallazzini, C., Barria, K. et al. Fluoride: changes in knowledge and prescription habits of paediatricians for 11 years in Brittany, France. Eur Arch Paediatr Dent 18, 51–58 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40368-016-0267-3
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40368-016-0267-3