On the mental representation of (un)healthy tooth: (un)healthy tooth profiles among children

Abstract

"Objectives: A descriptive study of exploratory character with the objective to determine the representation of a healthy tooth and an unhealthy tooth, associated with the concept of dental decay. Methods: Children of both genders (880), distributed in six age groups of low socio-economic level, some already having prior contact with the dentist and others not. Three instruments were used: a sociodemographic questionnaire, pictograms representation protocols and drawing content analysis grid. Results: Content analysis on the drawings indicates significant discrepancies, inherent to the pictorial profiles. Conclusion: The results point to the need of developing educative tools for oral health."