Kumar Vinod, Shivanna Veena, Kopuri Rajkumar Chowdary
Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry, Navodaya Dental College and Hospital, Raichur, Karnataka, India.
Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry, Sri Hasanamba Dental College and Hospital, Hassan, Karnataka, India.
J Indian Soc Pedod Prev Dent. 2019 Jan-Mar;37(1):18-24. doi: 10.4103/JISPPD.JISPPD_136_18.
Finger sucking and prolonged dummy sucking are the most prevalent oral habits among infants, toddlers, and children. Pediatricians are more likely to see infants and children much earlier than dentists. Thus, it is essential for these specialists to be aware of the harmful nature of digit sucking habit and its associated complications.
The present study was designed to evaluate the knowledge and attitude among pediatricians about digit sucking habit in children.
The survey was carried out using a self-administered questionnaire which was delivered to the study subjects by hand or by mail. The returned questionnaires from the pediatricians were statistically analyzed using descriptive statistics (percentage).
This study showed that many respondents were unaware that oral habits could be responsible for malocclusion. A high percentage of respondents preferred not to examine oral features in digit sucking child. Among the etiological factor that may contribute to digit sucking habit in a child, most of the respondents expressed that habitual, psychological and inadequate parental care are possible causes. Most of the participants answered that parental and child counseling is essential to stop the habit. Most of the respondents did not refer the digit sucking child to the dentist for the better management of associated malocclusion.
Knowledge and attitude among pediatricians about digit sucking habit in children were found to be unsatisfactory. Continuing dental education programs and symposiums can be conducted for pediatricians to enhance their knowledge about pernicious oral habits.
吮指和长期使用安抚奶嘴是婴幼儿及儿童中最常见的口腔习惯。儿科医生比牙医更早接触到婴幼儿和儿童。因此，这些专家必须了解吮指习惯的有害性质及其相关并发症。
本研究旨在评估儿科医生对儿童吮指习惯的认知和态度。
采用自行填写的问卷进行调查，问卷通过人工或邮寄方式发放给研究对象。对儿科医生返回的问卷进行描述性统计分析（百分比）。
本研究表明，许多受访者并未意识到口腔习惯可能导致错牙合畸形。高比例的受访者不愿检查吮指儿童的口腔特征。在可能导致儿童吮指习惯的病因中，大多数受访者表示习惯、心理和父母照顾不足是可能的原因。大多数参与者回答说，对父母和孩子进行咨询对于戒除该习惯至关重要。大多数受访者没有将吮指儿童转介给牙医以更好地处理相关的错牙合畸形。
发现儿科医生对儿童吮指习惯的认知和态度不尽人意。可以为儿科医生开展继续牙科教育项目和研讨会，以增强他们对有害口腔习惯的认识。
