Abstract
Whether fluoride mouthrinsing was regularly performed at home was investigated using questionnaires, asking parents (guardians) of pediatric patients who had previously been given fluoride mouthrinsing instructions at our dental clinic more than 3 months before this investigation. Regular fluoride mouthrinsing was performed in 121 homes, and was discontinued in 60 homes. In homes where fluoride mouthrinsing was performed,62.8% of parents answered that their children voluntarily performed mouthrinsing. The percentage of homes, in which children themselves took the mouthrinse from its container and determined the mouthrinsing duration (using watches, or counting numbers), was higher in homes where there was regular mouthrinsing than in those that discontinued it. In homes where there was regular mouthrinsing, only 37.3% of the parents actually felt that fluoride mouthrinsing was effective. These results showed that the voluntary attitudes of the children themselves are important for regular mouthrinsing. In addition, that the effects of fluoride mouthrinsing could not be readily recognized, this may have been the reason for discontinuing mouthrinsing. Our results, therefore, suggested that it is necessary not only to explain the purpose and method of mouthrinsing during mouthrinsing instruction, but also for the staff to praise sufficiently the efforts by the patients and parents at regular examinations to cultivate a voluntary attitude on the part of the patients, and to explain accurately the long-term effects of fluoride mouthrinsing to encourage the patient and parents to do it regularly.
