title: Infant motivation in dental health: attitude without constant reinforcement.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Social factors determine the child's behavior and motivation is an important task in the teaching-learning process. This longitudinal and cross-sectional study aimed to analyze the effectiveness of a motivational activity program for oral hygiene habits formation after motivation and without constant reinforcement.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample was constituted of 26 children (mean 6 years old) from a Public Kindergarten School in Ponta Grossa, PR, Brazil. Data were collected applying a test-chart, with figures reporting the process of dental health/illness. Some figures were considered positive to dental health (dentist/Cod 1, toothbrush/Cod 3, dentifrice/dental floss/Cod 6, fruits/vegetables/Cod 7 and tooth without caries lesion/Cod 8) and negative on dental health (sweets/Cod 2, bacteria/Cod 4, tooth with caries lesion/Cod 5). The figures presentation occurred in three different stages: First stage - figures were presented to children without previous knowledge; second stage - following the motivational presentation, and third stage - 30 days after the first contact.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On the first stage, most children select good for the figures considered harmful to their teeth (Cod 2-88%; Cod 4-77% and Cod 5-65%). On the second stage, there was a lower percentage: 23% (P < 0.0001), 8% (P < 0.0001), and 23% (P = 0.0068) related to the Cod 2, 4, and 5. On the third stage, the results showed again an association with the good choice to these figures considered harmful (Cod 2-85%, Cod 4-65% and Cod 5-54%) similar the results obtained on the first stage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The motivational programs performed without constant reinforcement does not have a positive influence in changing the child's behavior related to a better dental care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, Ponta Grossa State University, Ponta Grossa, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fabiana Bucholdz
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Teixeira Alves
authors.forename: Eunice
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kuhn
authors.forename: Danielle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bordin
authors.forename: Vitoldo Antonio
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Kozlowski
authors.forename: Daniela Procida
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Raggio
authors.forename: Cristina Berger
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Fadel
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009042:Motivation; D009909:Oral Health