KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDES OF THE PARENTS OF 7-12 YEAR OLD CHILDREN REGARDING THE NEED FOR INTERVENTIONS OF THE FIRST PERMANENT MOLAR

In order to increase the use of preventive dental care, it is essential to improve the knowledge and the attitude of parents about such cares. The period of mixed dentition from 7 to 12 years of age is characteristic because parents do not know how to distinguish primary from permanent teeth, so often if a caries lesion occurs on the first permanent molar, it progresses very early on endodontic treatment.The purpose of this study was to evaluate the knowledge, attitude and practice of the parents of the school children for the first permanent molar, for which due to the age of the children they don’t pay attention, and it is a masticаtory center, and it is very important to keep it in the dental arch.For the realization of our goal, 30 school children with mixed dentition were selected,and on them we made a clinical examination and noticed the interventions that were made on the first permanent molar. A questionnaire was design for parents, their knowledge, attitudes and experiences on mixed dentition and the first permanent molar.The results we have received indicate that children in the beginning of period of mixed dentition are usually not informed about it, and therefore the first permanent molar is most often exposed to restoration or endodontic treatment. Parents are also not informed and especially at the beginning of this period don’t visit the dentist thinking they are primary teeth and they will change with durable ones.Based on the low level of knowledge of the parents regarding the mixed dentition, the emergence of the first permanent molar and the effectiveness of the knowledge gained through the dentists concluded that we should especially emphasize the professional preventive care and education of the school children and their parents.The education of children should be on systematic examinations, in schools and when visiting their dentist, in order to raise awareness of the control check at 6 months. Also, the annualIy dental check up should include the sealing of the first permanent molar. Parents should also be included in education as they have influence in the educational process during this period.