Frecuencia de cepillado y uso de pasta dental con flúor en niños de 4 a 6 años de edad en la parroquia de San Blas de la ciudad de Cuenca

Abstract

Objective: To determine the frequency of brushing and fluoride toothpaste usage in children aged 4 to 6 years in San Blas parish in Cuenca city. Materials and methods: It was a cross-sectional descriptive quantitative observational research. The study population consisted of 442 children aged 4 to 6 years; a final sample of n = 180 was obtained using the formula for calculating the known population and inclusion and exclusion criteria. Results: The most relevant daily brushing frequency was three times a day, representing 47.78% of the sample. Of these, 57.78% used a fluoride concentratio n of 1000 to 1100 ppmF. Only 7.78% of the children brushed their teeth without fluoride toothpaste, while a majority, constituting 80%, utilized a small amount of toothpaste equivalent to size of a bean. Conclusion: Most of the participants brushed their teeth 2 to 3 times a day, and there was a direct correlation between the parent's educational level and the quantity of toothpaste administered, so children used concentrations and amounts according to their age.