Aim: The purpose of this pilot study was to collect information about tooth brushing habits of preschool children in Targu-Mures and to identify the usage of fluoride (F) supplements.
Material and methods: A structured questionnaire was completed by the parents of 81 children aged 3 to 6 years (37 girls and 44 boys) regarding the tooth cleaning habits of their children and use of F supplements. Chi-square test for independence and trend was used to determine the relation between age of children and quantity of toothpaste used and frequency of tooth brushing, respectively.
Results: All parents claimed that fluoride dentifrices were used and tooth brushing of children was supervised. 24.69% of the children have started tooth brushing before the age of 2 years. Most of the children brushed their teeth at least twice a day (59.25%) and used more than an optimal amount of toothpaste (60.49%). A statistically significant association between children’s age and amount of dentifrice used (p = 0.0496) and also a significant linear trend (p = 0.0216) was found. We also found a significant association (p = 0.0246) and a significant linear trend (p = 0.0029) between the age of children and frequency of tooth brushing. Only 13.58% of the children received F supplements.
Conclusion: Special attention should be given to the amount of toothpaste used by children younger than 6 years in order to avoid uncontrolled fluoride ingestion. Before administration of F supplements, the fluoride intake from other sources should be investigated.