부산대학교 도서관

Dental health behavior to prevent dental caries in children was compared between parents who choose toothpaste from the viewpoint of the presence of fluoride and those who do not in users of fluoride-containing toothpaste. A questionnaire survey was conducted in 18 elementary schools in 13 prefectures in Japan, and 6,126 parents whose children used fluoride-containing toothpaste participated in the analysis. Logistic regression analysis showed that young age, beaker use at rinsing after tooth-brushing, low frequency of rinsing, caries-preventive activities including toothpaste use, topical fluoride application and regular dental visits, were independently associated with the choice of toothpaste from the viewpoint of the presence of fluoride. These results suggest that parents choosing toothpaste from the viewpoint of the presence of fluoride showed favorable behavior to prevent dental caries in their children. Dissemination of the appropriate use of toothpaste and other preventive measures against dental caries are required for parents, especially those who purchase toothpaste without considering whether it contains fluoride. In addition, the choice of toothpaste from the viewpoint of the presence of fluoride might be a good indicator of caries-prevention behavior other than toothpaste use.