Oral Hygiene Behavior in 12- to 18-month-old Brazilian Children.

Purpose: The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to assess the presence of dental plaque and associated factors in 12- to 18-month-old children.

Methods: A clinical examination was performed to determine the presence of visible dental plaque on the maxillary incisors of 12- to 18-month-old children. Mothers were interviewed to collect demographic and socio-economic data, as well as oral hygiene habits. Univariate and multiple Poisson regression analysis (PR) with robust variance were performed.

Results: Of the 249 children examined, 35 percent presented dental plaque. Tooth-brushing or cleaning their children's teeth was reported by 178 mothers (72 percent). Children whose maternal schooling was equal to or less than eight years showed higher risk to present dental plaque compared to children whose mothers had studied more than eight years (PR=1.41 [95 percent confidence interval=1.01 to 1.98]). Children with dental caries were associated with a higher risk of having dental plaque (PR=2.23 [95 percent confidence interval =1.63 to 3.04]).

Conclusions: Visible dental plaque was a more reliable indicator of dental hygiene habits than the information provided by the mothers during the structured interviews. Therefore, preventive programs for young children are crucial, especially those at risk for dental caries and those with mothers with low educational levels.