Self-reported compliance with preventive measures among regularly attending pediatric patients

This study evaluated the compliance with preventive measures of regularly attending pediatric patients. Children attending at least four consecutive recall appointments in a pediatric dental clinic were interviewed regarding their compliance with the previously recommended preventive measures. During each recall appointment, participants and/or their parents received oral and written instructions regarding the preventive measures. Caries experience index was calculated as sum of decayed, missing, and filled surfaces of participants' primary and permanent dentition. Files of 496 children were analyzed. Mean age was 9.0 +/-4.5 years. Mean caries experience index was 7.0 +/-9.0. Participants reported eating more than six times a day (22.8 percent) and consuming in between meals water only (54.4 percent), noncarbonated beverages (23.2 percent), carbonated beverages (13.1 percent), and a combination of both beverages (9.3 percent). Children reported brushing their teeth at least once a day (94.4 percent), rinsing their teeth once a day (11.9 percent), flossing once a day (5.6 percent), and brushing once a week regularly with highly concentrated fluoride gel (12.6 percent). No statistical differences were found in compliance measures within two consecutive dental recalls. Caries experience was correlated with regular meals (p=0.01), drinks between meals (p<0.001), and toothbrushing frequency (p=0.01). In conclusion, compliance with preventive measures is low among regularly attending pediatric patients. In high caries risk patients, a frequent preventive intervention might be warranted by dental practitioners.