PARENTS' KNOWLEDGE AND PREVENTIVE BEHAVIORS TOWARD FLUORIDE USE FOR PREVENTING DENTAL CARIES IN PRESCHOOL CHILDREN: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW
Keywords:
dental caries, fluoride, parents' knowledge, preventive behavior, preschool children, systematic literature reviewAbstract
Dental caries remains one of the most common chronic diseases affecting preschool children worldwide and continues to be a major public health concern. Although fluoride has been recognized as an effective agent for preventing dental caries, its successful application largely depends on parents' knowledge and preventive behaviors, which may also be influenced by educational level and socioeconomic status. This systematic literature review aimed to synthesize recent evidence regarding the relationship between parental knowledge and preventive behaviors toward fluoride use in preventing dental caries among preschool children. The review also examined the influence of educational attainment and socioeconomic status on children's caries risk. Relevant studies published between 2021 and 2025 were identified from major scientific databases following the PRISMA guidelines. The selected articles discussed fluoride use, parental knowledge, preventive behaviors, socioeconomic factors, educational background, and caries risk assessment in children. The findings indicate that parents with better knowledge of fluoride generally demonstrate more appropriate preventive behaviors, including supervising toothbrushing with fluoride toothpaste, utilizing professional fluoride applications, and attending regular dental visits. Higher educational attainment is associated with better oral health literacy, while socioeconomic status affects access to preventive dental care and oral health resources. However, several studies also suggest that adequate knowledge alone does not always lead to consistent preventive practices because behavioral, environmental, and accessibility factors also contribute to oral health outcomes. Overall, current evidence highlights that improving parental education and expanding access to fluoride-based preventive programs may reduce the burden of dental caries among preschool children.References
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