Pediatricians' Perceptions of the Use of Sweetened Medications Related to Oral Health

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate pediatricians' perceptions and attitudes about the use of liquid pediatric medicines and their relationship with dental caries and dental erosion. STUDY DESIGN: A cross sectional study was conducted. Data was collected by questionnaires handed out in hospitals, medical clinics and offices. A convenience sample of 104 pediatricians was obtained. RESULTS: Most respondents (80.8%) stated that pediatric medicines could be related with dental disorders. Dental caries (64.70%) and tooth discoloration (43.7%) were the most frequent mentioned alterations, while only 3 (4.2%) respondents pointed out dental erosion. A considerable number of respondents (62.50%) recognized the presence of fermentable carbohydrates as a contributing factor to tooth decay, however not all of them recommended oral hygiene after their consumption (50.80%). Besides, 48 respondents (46.20) also believed that pediatric medicines could cause dental wear. CONCLUSIONS: Pediatricians in this study did not perceive the correct relationship between the presence of acidity in medicines and dental erosion; however, most of them presented a reasonable awareness about the relationship between sugared pediatric medicines and dental caries. Besides, they were unaware about the need of recommending oral hygiene after medicines' use.