Uma proposta para diminuir o risco de contaminação cruzada durante ações de escovação coletivas

Abstract

Most diseases can be controlled when the factors that contribute to their onset and progression are identified, but this does not happen with caries. Caries remains a serious public health problem, especially in people with less purchasing power and with less education. In order to try to reduce its prevalence and severity, the Brazilian government advises that collective tooth brushing actions be carried out regularly with techniques called "direct supervised" and "indirect supervised". Both are ways to consolidate the habit of oral hygiene, in addition to providing the benefit of fluoride in the oral cavity through the use of fluoride toothpaste. However, as they are collective actions, in which the toothpaste is shared, these activities can be a source of cross contamination. In this way, the objectives of this work were to disseminate the results obtained previously (in which this possibility was proven), and to propose alternative ways of carrying out these activities, aiming to minimize the risk of contamination. Tests were carried out to dispense the toothpaste in order to verify how this risk of contamination would be lower. With this work it is expected to be able to contribute to improve the educational / preventive process in oral health carried out in the city of Maringá-PR and, later, to disseminate this work in scientific magazines in the area so that other cities can benefit from the process.