Dentists Preference Of Mode Of Teaching Brushing Technique To Children With Mixed Dentition

Introduction: The main purpose of brushing is to mechanically disturb the biofilm that is formed over the tooth surface by oral bacteria. The undisturbed biofilm can become plaque, which eventually leads to caries. Thus tooth brushing is of extreme importance especially among children. Correct brushing techniques can prevent early childhood caries. Aim: To check the preference of dentists about the mode of teaching brushing techniques to children with mixed dentition. Materials and Methods: A total of 1600 subjects with mixed dentition were chosen for this study. All the subjects were outpatients in the pediatric outpatient department of Saveetha Dental College. The data for this study was collected from DIAS and was verified using photographic confirmation and checking. All subjects were chosen randomly to minimise sampling bias. The age group considered for mixed dentition is 6 to 12 years old. The data that was obtained was tabulated in an excel spreadsheet and the analysis of the data was made using SPSS software with Chi-square test for association. Results: From the data collected in our study, it was found that the most preferred method of teaching brushing technique is by using digital modes, followed by using casts and models and the least preferred method was only verbal explanation. There was no statistically significant difference when compared based on gender of the patient (p>0.05). Conclusion: From this study, we conclude that dentists prefer using digital modes to explain and teach brushing techniques to children with mixed dentition. The purpose is to check for evolving trends in preferences in teaching. This is important so as to accommodate the increasing development of technology.