Toothbrushing at age 1: practice of parents and children

Poster Session - Scientific Groups: 1. Behavioral, Epidemiologic and Health Services Research: abstract no. 2OBJECTIVES: to describe the practice of the parents and 1-year-old children in Hong Kong in cleaning the child's teeth. METHODS: A study was conducted on Hong Kong 1-year-old children who were in good general health and not on long-term medication, and their parents. A simple clinical examination was conducted by a trained dentist to evaluate the child's tooth status. The parents were asked to complete a questionnaire about the child's background and the parent's and child's practice in cleaning the child's teeth. RESULTS: 337 children, 150 boys and 187 girls, aged 12-23 months were recruited from 13 child care centres or parenting education centers. No carious cavities were found in any teeth of the children. Most (80%) of the parents had started cleaning their child's oral cavity before 1 year old, using gauze, cotton swab or toothbrush. The proportions of parental toothbrushing for 12-14, 15-17, 18-20 and 21-23-month-old children were 31%, 40%, 63% and 63%, respectively (p<0.001). Only 18% of parents used toothpaste in parental toothbrushing. Proportions of children practicing toothbrushing were 9%, 11%, 40% and 42%, in the 12-14, 15-17, 18-20 and 21-23-month-old groups, respectively (p