Evaluation of a fluorosis prevention educational program: A randomized field trial.

Background: A 2-group randomized field trial was conducted to evaluate the impact of a fluorosis educational preventive program in mother´s knowledge and practices, and on the urine fluoride concentration of their preschool children.

Material and Methods: A group of 139 mother-child pairs participated in the study. Randomly, children were assigned to an intervention group, their mothers were participants of an educational program, or a control group (CG); including 69 and 70 child-mother pairs, respectively, the follow-up period was six months. Mother´s knowledge and practices were evaluated and children´s first urine sample was used to measure fluoride concentration at the beginning of the study and at the end of the follow-up period.

Results: The mean age of the children was 4.18 (sd 0.62) years-old at baseline. Mothers in the IG improved their knowledge and practices associated with fluorosis risk factors. Adequate knowledge about the amount of toothpaste to use for brushing improved in the IG ( p =0.006). In 82.1% of the children in the IG showed decrease in urine fluoride concentration was observed ( p < 0.001), no significant differences were shown in the CG.

Conclusions: Mothers participating in an education program improved their knowledge and practices, reducing the risk of dental fluorosis in their children who showed a decreased on their urine F concentration. Key words: Knowledge, practices, urinary fluoride, water fluoride, preschool children, mothers.