Resumo

BRANT, Marcela Oliveira et al. The perception of graduate students in early childhood education regarding the oral habits of preschoolers. Arq. Odontol. [online]. 2016, vol.52, n.1, pp. 06-12. ISSN 1516-0939.

Aim: This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the perception of graduate students in early childhood education programs about the oral habits of preschoolers. Methods: All 47 graduate students enrolled in the early childhood education program at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil from 2012 to 2013 participated in the study. Participants were approached during their lecture classes and were asked to respond to a pre-tested self-completion questionnaire. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics. Results: The majority of participants were women (95.7%) between 25 and 46 years of age, with a mean of 32.3 years of age (SD = 4.36). Most believed that all children should be bottle fed (91.5%) and use a pacifier (80.9%). The majority also reported that they would like to receive further information on oral health (91.5%). Conclusion: Graduate students in the early childhood education field can be important allies in promoting oral health. However, they need to acquire further knowledge on the subject during their professional training.

Palavras-chave : Nursing bottles.; Child.; Faculty.; Habits.; Pacifiers..