KNOWLEDGE OF PHYSICIANS AND NURSES ABOUT ORAL HEALTH IN EARLY CHILDHOOD

Abstract

Objective: To verify the knowledge of physicians and nurses working in the Family Health Strategy in the city of Patos, PB, Brazil, in relation to the oral health of children aged 0 to 36 months. Material and Methods: This was a cross-sectional, observational study using a specific questionnaire for data collection. A total of 63 professionals (28 physicians and 35 nurses) were selected to compose the sample. The data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and then submitted to Fisher’s exact test, with a 5% significance level (p<0.05). Results: As to their knowledge about preventive dentistry, 96.8% of the professionals considered dental caries as a disease resulting from poor oral hygiene and inadequate nutrition. In addition, 46% of them did not know how dental biofilm can be removed in children (0-36 months old) and 71.4% reported that fluoride might avoid dental caries. A total of 65.1% of the professionals knew that the first visit to the dentist should be done before the primary teeth are erupted; and 76.2% said that deciduous teeth can be treated. A statistically significant difference was observed between the variables “oral health orientation” and gender (p=0.04), in which 11.1% of males reported having not received oral health orientation. Conclusion: There is a fragility in the knowledge of physicians and nurses on oral health in early childhood, which makes their training very important so that to promote an integrated healthcare based on an effective exchange of knowledge and practices. DESCRIPTORS Oral Health. Primary Health Care. Pediatric Dentistry.