title: Parental Attitudes and Tooth Brushing Habits in Preschool Children in Mangalore, Karnataka: A Cross-sectional Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Adoption of consistent behavioral habits in childhood takes place at home, with the parents especially the mother, being the primary model for behavior. Tooth brushing habits which is learnt during early years of life, is deeply ingrained in the child's mind and it is expected that this leads to an adaptation of good oral hygiene in their later life.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the tooth brushing habits of preschool children and to determine the role and amount of supervision given to them by parents.
  
  
  METHODS
  A pretested self-designed questionnaire was used to collect information from parents of 130 preschool children in Anganwadi and Kindergarten in Mangalore. Statistical analysis was done and Chi-square test was used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Tooth brushing habits in these children was started at a mean age of 22.4 months (SD 8.4).62% of the preschool children used toothbrush and toothpaste for cleaning teeth and brushing habits were mainly (84%) introduced by mothers. Seventy-one percent of the children were cooperative when they were introduced to tooth brushing.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Preschool children of Mangalore were introduced to tooth brushing at a mean age of 22.4 months. Mothers played a vital role in introducing and teaching the child how to brush. In children less than 10 months of age tooth brushing was not started at all. How to cite this article: Pullishery F, Panchmal GS, Shenoy R. Parental Attitudes and Tooth Brushing Habits in Preschool Children in Mangalore, Karnataka: A Cross-sectional Study. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2013;6(3):156-160.
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Student, Department of Public Health Dentistry Yenepoya Dental College, Mangalore, Karnataka, India, e-mail: drfawazp@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Fawaz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pullishery
authors.affiliation: Professor and Head, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Yenepoya Dental College, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Ganesh
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Shenoy Panchmal
authors.affiliation: Reader, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Yenepoya Dental College, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Rekha
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shenoy
keywords: Habits; Preschool children; Tooth brushing