Frecuencia de cepillado y uso de pasta con flúor en niños de 0 a 3 años de edad en la parroquia Baños del cantón Cuenca.

Abstract

Oral health in children is essential to prevent dental diseases, so proper oral hygiene should begin early in life. Objective: To evaluate the frequency of tooth brushing and use of fluoride toothpaste in 0-3 year-old children in the Baños parish in Cuenca city. Material and methods: The quantitative research focused on 243 children from 0 to 3 years old in the Baños parish. Probabilistic sampling and surveys on oral hygiene and toothpaste habits were used. A statistical study with graphs and chi-square analysis was used to establish significant associations between variables, with a significance level of 0.05. Results: It was found that 47.33% brush their teeth at least twice a day; 58.44% brushed before going to sleep; the most used toothpaste was Blendy Baby 0ppm (13.99%): toothpaste with fluoride from 1000 to 1100 ppm was the most used (30.52%); and there was no significant association between family income and fluoride in toothpaste. Conclusions: Although no significant associations were found between the studied variables, the results highlighted that tooth brushing twice a day and using fluoride toothpaste were standard practices. These findings supported the relevance of promoting appropriate oral hygiene habits early on for oral well-being.