title: Self-perceived oral health influences tooth brushing in preschool children.
abstract: This study assessed the influence of socioeconomic and clinical factors, as well as parent's perception of child's oral health on the toothbrushing frequency of 0-5-year-old children. The study was carried out in Santa Maria, RS, Brazil, during the National Children's Vaccination Day, and 478 children aged 0-5 years were included. Data were collected by clinical examinations and a structured questionnaire, conducted by 15 calibrated examiners and 30 supports. A questionnaire was filled out by the parents with information about several socioeconomic indicators, perception of child's oral health and frequency of tooth brushing. The main outcome was collected by the question: "How many times a day do you brush your child's teeth?". Multivariable Poisson regression model taking into account the cluster sample was performed to assess the association between the predictors and outcome. Children whose parents related worse perception of child's oral health showed less tooth brushing frequency (PR 1.23; 1.06 - 1.43). Young children brush their teeth less than the older ones (PR 0.90; 0.84 - 0.96); and lack of visit to a dentist was predictor for less tooth brushing frequency (PR 1.29; 1.05 - 1.59). Parent's perception of child oral health influence children's healthy behaviors, supporting the evidence that psychosocial factors are strong predictors of children's oral health.
authors.affiliation: Departament of Stomatology, School of Dentistry, UFSM - Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Bernardo Antonio
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Agostini
authors.affiliation: Departament of Stomatology, School of Dentistry, UFSM - Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rômulo Vaz
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Machry
authors.affiliation: Departament of Stomatology, School of Dentistry, UFSM - Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carlos Roberto da Silva
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Teixeira
authors.affiliation: UNIFRA - Franciscano University, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Chaiana
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Piovesan
authors.affiliation: Departament of Stomatology, School of Dentistry, UFSM - Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marta Dutra Machado
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Departament of Stomatology, School of Dentistry, UFSM - Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carmela Rampazzo
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Bresolin
authors.affiliation: Departament of Stomatology, School of Dentistry, UFSM - Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Thiago Machado
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Ardenghi
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009909:Oral Health; D012649:Self Concept; D014099:Toothbrushing