A time-related study of intake pattern of fluoride tablets among Swedish preschoolchildren and parental attitudes.

The principal aim of this study was to investigate sodium fluoride tablet consumption and its variability over a particular period. Information was collected from questionnaires sent in 1975 and 1980 to all parents of children born in Lund, Sweden, in 1967 and 1972 and still resident in this city, where drinking water contains 0.2 parts/10(6) F. The results showed that 69% of the children born in 1967 (n = 373) had taken tablets at some time during the period 1/2-7 years of age and that 13% had consumed tablets regularly for minimum 5 1/2 years. The corresponding figures for children born in 1972 (n = 474) were 51% and 12%, respectively. Sporadic consumers were responsible for the main difference (15%) between the two populations. A selection of parents from the 1975 and 1980 materials was made with respect to duration of consumption and level of parental education. The frequency of non-users had increased mostly among families with a higher parental education. For those parents who had not given their children tablets or had ceased to do so, the 1980 inquiry was enlarged with questions about reasons for this. The item marked most frequently (56%) implied that fluoride may be dangerous to swallow. Another 13% responded that they had not been recommended to give their children tablets. However, topical use of fluoride in toothpaste during preschool age and in mouthrinses from 6 years of age is, according to the present study, well accepted.