title: Pediatricians' perception about the use of antibiotics and dental caries--a preliminary study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to evaluate pediatricians' perception about the use of antibiotics and dental caries.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred pretested questionnaires containing open and closed questions were distributed to pediatricians from public hospitals in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The response rate was 60 percent. Considering the respondents, 73.3 percent frequently prescribed antibiotics, oral administration being the chosen mode (93.3%). Antibiotics were pointed out as being very sweet substances by 53.3 percent of the pediatricians. However, the same percentage did not know what sweetener was responsible for the sweet flavor, and just 40.6 percent recommended oral hygiene after the medicine's intake. Among the pediatricians, 56.7 percent related the use of antibiotics to the occurrence of dental effects, and 40 percent thought that antibiotics could cause a defect of tooth structure. Only one pediatrician (3.2%) associated the presence of fermentable carbohydrates in the composition of these medicines with dental caries.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pediatricians in this study did not perceive the correct relationship between the presence of fermentable carbohydrates in antibiotics and dental caries. Many of them believed these medicines promoted a defect of tooth structure favoring the development of dental caries. Further studies with a larger sample are necessary.
authors.affiliation: School of Dentistry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. vivigus@bol.com.br
authors.forename: Viviane Santos
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: da Silva Pierro
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Barcelos
authors.forename: Lucianne Cople
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Maia
authors.forename: Andréa Neiva
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: da Silva
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002626:Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005285:Fermentation; D005632:Fructose / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D005947:Glucose / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D010372:Pediatrics; D013395:Sucrose / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D013549:Sweetening Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D013549:Sweetening Agents; D005632:Fructose; D013395:Sucrose; D005947:Glucose