Utilization of Topical Fluoride Gel in Children ---At the Department of Pediatric Dentistry of a Medical University Hospital in Southern Taiwan

• Main Authors: Yi-Han Liu, 劉亦涵
• Other Authors: Hong-Sen Chen
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2006
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/37307787085003182606

碩士 === 高雄醫學大學 === 口腔衛生科學研究所碩士班 === 94 === Abstract Background: The cost of caries treatment was about 15 billion a year, according to the Bureau of National Health Insurance (BNHI). Because fluoride gels application was proven to be the most effective and direct way to prevent dental caries. A service of dental fluoride application for children under 5 years old twice a year in the “Preventive Dental Health Service for Children” by the BNHI began in July 2004. Many studies pointed out that the attitude and awareness of parents on preventive oral health may prevent the children from receiving appropriate medical care, the study was performed to understand the associated factors affecting fluoride gels application in children. Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the fluoride gel experience of children, and its` association between knowledge and acceptance of fluoride gels application contributed to children or parents. Methods: The study was performed at the department of pedodontics at a medical university hospital in southern Taiwan. With a total of 316 visiting children, were interviewed with a structured questionnaire. All of the data were coded and analyzed with compact software JMP version 5.1.2. Results: Among the 316 samples, 80.06% of them had never received fluoride application; 11.39% of the children received self-paid fluoride application; and 8.54% of them received fluoride application under insurance payment. There was no significant difference between children itself and the acceptance of fluoride application, but more proportion of them who had ever received fluoride application were used to fluoride than those never received. As for parental factors, the parents of those children who ever received fluoride application had better performance in educational level and socioeconomic status; more proportion of the children received fluoride application if their parents had ever received fluoride application or had high scores of fluoride application knowledge, which was statistically significant (p<0.05). It was 17.78 times for parents who know the fluoride application from their dentist had their children receive the procedure than those unaware of it; it was 8.12 times of parents who had ever received fluoride application would bring their children to receive the procedure than those not receiving the procedure; parents who agree with the fluoride application, would bring their children to receive the procedure was 3.33 times than those that did not; parents with fluoride knowledge scores over 40 would bring their children to receive the fluoride application was 4.89 times than those with scores under 40. Conclusion and suggestions: The result of this study showed that the children themselves has no prominent effect on the utilization of fluoride application; as for their parents, who were aware of dental fluoride application, and who had ever received fluoride application, or agreed with insurance payment for fluoride application, and those with high scores of fluoride application knowledge had a higher proportion of their children received fluoride application. We suggested that a promotion program of preventive dental health at clinics, TV and radio broadcasts, and websites with accentuation on the safety and importance of fluoride application towards parents may enhance the utilization rate of fluoride application by children, with the effect of improving caries status of children, reduce the expenditure of insurance payment for caries management. Key words: Fluoride gel application, Preventive dental health