The amount of dentifrice used by opening diameter size and current status of commercial dentifrices for children in Korea

Dept of Dental Hygiene, Jeon-Ju vision university교신저자：전주연 우) 570-750 전북 익산시 신용동 344-2번지 원광보건대학 치위생과전화 : 063-840-1263, 011-683-0961 Fax : 063-840-1269 E-mail : jyjeon@wkhc.ac.kr ※ 본 연구는 2009년 원광보건대학 학술 연구비 지원에 의해 이루어졌음.접수일－2010년 4월 8일 수정일－2010년 6월 14일 게재확정일－2010년 6월 15일ABSTRACTObjectives : The purpose of this study was to examine the use of dentifri ce for children, the state of dentifrice for children on the market and the relationship between the bore of dentifrice and the amount of dentifrice used in an effort to provide parents, main consumers of dentifrice for chi ldren, with the right information on dentifrice. Methods : Data on the use of children's dentifrice were gathered by in vestigating parents in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province in July and August, 2009. The selected parents had children aged o ne to five in Western age.Results : 1. As to the purchase of dentifrice for children, the largest group (75.9%) were aware of the name of the toothbrush used by their children, and the greatest group (97.3 %) bought the toothbrush on behalf of them. Advertising was the most dominant source of information on the choice of de ntifrice (51.8%), and non-professionals were the most common providers of information on that (55.9%). 2. The amount of dentifrice used at a time was a mean of 0.467±0.270 ｇ. There was a wide disparity in that aspect from a low of 0.100 to 1.900 ｇ. As to the influence of the size of the bore of dentifrice, the greatest amount of dentifri ce was used (0.670±0.306 ｇ) when the bore of dentifrice was 9 mm in size, and the bore size 9 mm was significantly different from the size 3 mm and 6 mm in that aspect (p<0.001). 3. There was one kind of imported dentifrice for chi ldren on the market. Concerning the fluoride ingredient of dentifrice, the biggest number of dentifrice contained MFP o nly. As to the size of the bore of dentifrice, there was a difference of 3 to 9 mm. Most of dentifrice for children incl uded the pictures of particular characters.Conclusions : The above-mentioned findings illustrated that there is a ser ious concern for the intake of fluoride among infants and preschoolers, it's needed to pay careful attention to the use of dentifrice. Dentifrice for children should be manufactured in consideration of the relationship between the s ize of the bore and the amount of dentifrice used.