1. MEDICAL PERSONNEL'S ATTITUDES AND AWARENESS REGARDING BENEFITS AND RISKS OF USE OF FLUORIDATED SUBSTANCES: CASE STUDY IN PESHAWAR CITY, KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA, PAKISTAN.
- Author
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Ali, Madad, Shahani, Riffat, Ahmad, Muhammad Salman, Hassan, Shah, Nawaz, Asad, and Harisshah, M.
- Subjects
MEDICAL personnel ,CITIES & towns ,SUBSTANCE abuse ,FLUOROSIS ,RISK perception ,CAVITY prevention - Abstract
Background: This study was conducted to analyze the attitudes and awareness regarding the risks and benefits of the usage of fluoridated substances among medical personnel practicing in various medical-related professions, both as dentists and non-dentists, in Peshawar city, Pakistan. Materials and methods: In this study, a semi-structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Data were collected using purposive sampling from respondents in five urban areas (Hyatabad, Daborigarden, Hyshatnagry, Andersher, and Sadar) of Peshawar city. The data were collected from 456 dentists, family medicine practitioners/general surgeons, and pediatric practitioners (the proportions were dentistry 142, family medicine 165, and pediatrics 149). Results: This study found that attitudes and awareness regarding fluoride's anti-caries efficacy and the usage of fluoridated toothpaste among dentists was significantly higher than among non-dental doctors. The results indicated that 30% of dentists identified swallowing toothpaste as the main concern when using fluoridated toothpaste, while 27% of family medicine practitioners stated that dental fluorosis was their main concern. However, more than 30% of all doctors were found to be using fluoridated toothpaste without any concerns. Similarly, about 50% of dentists and 60% of pediatric practitioners believed that the benefits of using fluoridated toothpaste for children aged from 3-6 years outweighed the risks; however, only 29% of family medicine practitioners shared this perspective. It is noteworthy that 47 medical practitioners from this group of doctors stated that they could not assess the risks due to a lack of relevant knowledge. Conclusions: This study found that most respondents were not aware of the usage and effects of fluoridated substances, nor of their risks and benefits. Dentists and non-dental doctors were concerned about the potential dangers of the use of fluoridated toothpaste and other substances. This study suggests that local authorities should focus on health education and training to improve the knowledge of all medical personnel about all aspects of fluoridated substance usage, with this being a surety for good public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022