General practitioners' use of caries-preventive agents in adult patients versus pediatric patients: findings from the dental practice-based research network.
BACKGROUND
In this study, the authors tested the frequency of dentists' recommendations for and use of caries-preventive agents for children as compared with adults.


METHODS
The authors surveyed 467 general dentists in the Dental Practice-Based Research Network who practice within the United States and treat both pediatric and adult patients. They asked dentists to identify the percentage of their patients for whom they had administered or recommended dental sealants, in-office and at-home fluoride, chlorhexidine rinse and xylitol gum.


RESULTS
Dentists were less likely to provide adult patients than pediatric patients with in-office caries-preventive agents. However, the rate at which they recommended at-home preventive regimens for the two groups of patients was similar. Dentists with a conservative approach to caries treatment were the most likely to use and recommend the use of caries-preventive agents at similar rates in adults as in children. In addition, dentists in practices with a greater number of patients who had dental insurance were significantly more likely to provide in-office fluoride or sealants to adult patients than to pediatric patients.


CONCLUSIONS
General dentists use in-office caries-preventive agents more commonly with their pediatric patients than with their adult patients.


CONCLUSIONS
General dentists should consider providing additional in-office caries-preventive agents for their adult patients who are at increased risk of experiencing dental caries.
Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, College of Dentistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA.
Joseph L
JL
Riley
Valeria V
VV
Gordan
D Brad
DB
Rindal
Jeffrey L
JL
Fellows
O Dale
OD
Williams
Lloyd K
LK
Ritchie
Gregg H
GH
Gilbert
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002327:Cariostatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002638:Chewing Gum; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002710:Chlorhexidine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005459:Fluorides / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005460:Fluorides, Topical / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005792:General Practice, Dental / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007347:Insurance, Dental / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009067:Mouthwashes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010895:Pit and Fissure Sealants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019239:Practice Patterns, Dentists' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012537:Scandinavian and Nordic Countries; D012648:Self Care; D013549:Sweetening Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014481:United States; D014993:Xylitol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D055815:Young Adult
D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; D002327:Cariostatic Agents; D002638:Chewing Gum; D005460:Fluorides, Topical; D009067:Mouthwashes; D010895:Pit and Fissure Sealants; D013549:Sweetening Agents; D005459:Fluorides; D002710:Chlorhexidine; D014993:Xylitol