Attitudes to fluorosis and dental caries by a response latency method.
BACKGROUND
Understanding socially relevant attitudes to fluorosis and dental caries is important. Previous studies have concentrated mainly on aesthetic implications.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate social judgements beyond the aesthetic, made when viewing digitally manipulated extraoral images of dental fluorosis of varying degrees of severity and images of dental caries.


METHODS
Using a response latency technique, which allowed both the direction and strength of attitudes to be measured, 40 volunteers made judgements on 144 image/characteristic combinations.


RESULTS
Participants made social judgements which extended beyond the aesthetic to factors such as sociability, reliability and cleanliness. Judgements on mild fluorosis were not markedly different from those made about the same individual with normal enamel, but severe fluorosis had a significant negative impact on social judgements. Untreated dental caries was judged less favourably than normal enamel and mild fluorosis.


CONCLUSIONS
Attribution of characteristics that go beyond the aesthetic are significantly influenced by altered tooth appearance.
Williams
D M
DM
Department of Dental Health and Biological Sciences, Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.
Chestnutt
I G
IG
Bennett
P D
PD
Hood
K
K
Lowe
R
R
Heard
P
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002605:Character; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000145:classification / Q000523:psychology*; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000473:pathology; D004955:Esthetics, Dental; D005260:Female; D009050:Fluorosis, Dental / Q000145:classification / Q000523:psychology*; D006240:Happiness; D006801:Humans; D006920:Hygiene; D007360:Intelligence; D007600:Judgment; D008297:Male; D012929:Psychological Distance; D011930:Reaction Time; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D012928:Social Desirability