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. 2023 Apr 26:20:51.
eCollection 2023.

What preventive strategies do dentists prescribe for dental caries prevention? - A KAP survey

Astha Bramhecha  1 , Jogikalmatkrithika Datta  2 , Arthi Balasubramaniam  3
Affiliations

What preventive strategies do dentists prescribe for dental caries prevention? - A KAP survey

Astha Bramhecha et al. Dent Res J (Isfahan). .

Abstract

Background: Dentists play an important role in caries prevention by delivering preventive care, educating patients, and buying related products; it is critical to recognize what they know and believe about caries prevention, as well as how they use caries prevention interventions.

Materials and methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in South India between January 2021 and February 2021 to determine the dentists' knowledge, attitude, and practice of prescribing preventive strategies and remineralizing agents for caries prevention. A questionnaire including 11 self-administered, prestructured questions was made and distributed through electronic media. Chi-square test was done. The test significance value was taken as 0.05.

Results: A total of 252 dental practitioners participated in the study. The majority of general dentists and specialists followed all the measures such as pit and fissure sealants, fluoride application, counseling patients about oral hygiene maintenance, and regular recall after 6 months to 1 year (P > 0.05). Fluoridated remineralization strategy was found to be the most prescribed (69%) strategy for caries prevention. A significant number of dentists think fluoridated mineralization strategies will remain prevalent (P < 0.05). Younger dentists find practicing preventive dentistry more feasible compared to dentists with greater years of experience (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: Dentists across the country are well aware, have sufficient knowledge, and prescribe preventive strategies such as fluoride application, pit and fissure sealants, regular oral health checkups, and counsel the patients about the importance of oral health but there is a lack of implementation of these preventive strategies in everyday practice.

Keywords: Oral health; pit and fissure sealants; preventive dentistry; remineralization formulations; toothpaste.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors of this manuscript declare that they have no conflicts of interest, real or perceived, financial or non-financial in this article.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Distribution of participants according to gender.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Distribution of participants according to qualification.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Distribution of participants according to the designation.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Distribution of participants according to years of experience.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Preventive strategies usually followed by general dentists and specialists.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Opinion of researchers, academicians, and clinicians on toothpaste ingredients having maximum scope of development in future.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Feasibility of practicing preventive strategies in dental practice.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Difficulties in practicing preventive strategies.
Figure 9
Figure 9
Most commonly prescribed demineralization formulation by dentists and specialists.
Figure 10
Figure 10
Most commonly prescribed toothpaste by clinicians, practitioners, and researchers.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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