A Survey on the Use of Fluoride Dentifrice in Niigata Prefecture

• Published in: JOURNAL OF DENTAL HEALTH Vol. 44; no. 3; pp. 267 - 276
• Main Authors: TAKATOKU, Yukio, KOBAYASHI, Seigo, SAKUMA, Shihoko, KAJIYAMA, Toru, ANDO, Yuichi, YANO, Masatoshi, HORII, Kin-ichi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japanese Society for Oral Health 1994
• Subjects: Community-Survey; Dentifrice; Fluoride
• ISSN: 0023-2831; 2189-7379
• DOI: 10.5834/jdh.44.267

It is necessary to know the utilization and the estimation of fluoride dentifrice in inhabitants in preparation for recommendation and enlightenment on use of fluoride. The aim of this study was to describe the oral health habits (frequency of tooth brushing, use of fluoride dentifrice and reasons for selection of dentifrice) of inhabitants in Niigata City, Sasakami Village and Yahiko Village. The data were from a survey using questionnaires 3 groups, the Niigata City group, the Sasakami group, and the Yahiko group. The survey was conducted during February-March in 1992. We studied the following subgroups defined by age: 1.5-and 3-year old children, nursery school children, primary school children, junior high school students, high school students, and adults from the Niigata group; and nursery school children, primary school children, junior high school students, and adults from the 2 village groups. The rate of response was 97.6% after excluding incomplete and inconsistent questionnaires. 6003 persons were subjected to analysis. When these subjects were analyzed, they were classified again into 2 groups, the Niigata group and the villages group, because the oral health did not vary statistically 2 villages. The results were as follows. 1. Daily toothbrushing was practiced by a majority in all subgroups defined by age. More than 95% in all subgroups over junior high school student brushed their teeth daily. 2. The rate of use of fluoride dentifrice in users of dentifrice did not vary according to group. 3. The rate of use of fluoride dentifrice in uses of dentifrice varied according to subgroups defined by age and tended to decrease with increasing age from over 80% to about 40%. 4. 45.9% of users of dentifrice selected their dentifrice for its medicinal value. 36.8% of them selected their dentifrice for no particular reason. 5. 13.2% of users of fluoride dentifrice and 1.6% of users of non-fluoride dentifrice selected dentifrice for the reason “This dentifrice contains fluoride”.