415 - Parent’s knowledge regarding topical fluoride varnish application in children under 5 years old in South Jersey

Objective: This study aimed to determine the level of knowledge about fluoride varnish application of parents of children under 5 years old who attend their first dental visit at the South Jersey dental clinic.
Materials and

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, A group of 100 parents who attended the dental clinic completed a questionnaire of 15 demographics and fluoride varnish questions. Descriptive and inferential statistical analysis will be performed using percentage and chi-square tests for possible association of variables/questions answers and age, biological sex, education, and ethnicity.

Results: A total of 100 parents completed the questionnaire, out of which 81% were mothers, 18% were fathers, and 1% were a grandfather. 39% of the parents were between the ages of 25- 35 years, 40% were between 35-44 years old, and 41% were described as of Hispanic population. The highest percentage of schooling degrees was in High school with 42%..68% of parents agreed that Fluoride varnish provides benefits to children’s teeth. Parents consider that the age at which a dentist should start applying fluoride varnish is between 3-6 years with a 45.36% majority. The frequency of applying fluoride varnish should be twice a year according to 69% of the parents and waiting to eat or drink for 30 min is necessary according to 49.49%. The method of fluoride varnish application is with the toothbrush, as per most parents with 29.29%. Most parents think that fluoride varnishes reduce dental decay by sealing the outer surface of the tooth with 50% and hardening the tooth enamel with 35%. 40-60% of parents responded that fluoride varnish application decreases decay risk in a child, and 90% of them never refused it. There were significant differences observed between the age and race of the participants, p- value= 0.003. Most of the participants belonging to the age groups of 25-34 years and under 18 years were Hispanic. Additionally, a significant difference was observed between the age and educational level of the participants (p=0.003). Most participants belonging to the age groups of 25-34 and 35-44 had completed high school or had a bachelor's degree. Another significant difference was observed between the age groups of 25-34 and 35-44, where the participants believed that fluorine varnish or fluoride is mostly used for sealing and secondly for hardening tooth enamel, p- value=0.005. Most participants who brought the child or had a relationship with the patient were Hispanic mothers, p=0.004. When race was evaluated by educational level, many participants were Hispanic mothers with a high school degree, p= 0.0009.

Conclusions: It is crucial to raise awareness among parents about the use of fluoride, its benefits, and how fluoride varnish can help reduce dental decay. This is especially important for Hispanic mothers aged between 25 and 44, as most of them are unaware of the advantages of fluoride varnish in preventing tooth decay. There is a need to develop preventive strategies to reinforce knowledge and awareness about fluoride varnish prevention of dental decay to help these mothers with the tools they need to ensure optimal oral health for their children. Further research is needed to investigate the level of parental involvement in preventing dental decay and how to improve their understanding of fluoride varnish application.