Attitudes and Opinions on Application of Fluoride of Residents and Dentists in Kanagawa Prefecture

本研究旨在了解神奈川县居民和牙医对氟化物使用的态度和意见结构，并调查氟化物在日本应用的可能性。研究对象为神奈川县的小学生家长和牙医，采用自填式问卷进行调查。对小学生家长的调查结果分析表明：（1）不同社区居民对氟的认识和看法差异不大。家长对预防龋齿的期望值较高，但对使用氟化物的效果和安全性的认知和看法存在疑问。(2)结论1.局部应用氟的经验影响患者使用氟的程序选择和口腔健康信息的渠道.结果表明：（1）除经济因素外，不同社区居民对口腔卫生服务和氟化物使用的意见分布相似。口腔医师对预防牙病的态度积极，对健康教育的效果评价很高。(2)牙科医生普遍支持使用局部涂氟作为预防龋齿的方法，安全性的看法对选择使用氟化物有很大的影响，神奈川县的父母和牙科医生似乎都认为局部涂氟更合适。但这些观点并不是由正确的氟使用信息和知识形成的，我们可以了解居民和牙医对氟使用的观点和态度的结构。这一认识对日本的牙齿健康政策具有重要的启示意义。

The aims of this study were to understand the structure of attitudes and opinions on use of fluoride of residents and dentists in Kanagawa Prefecture, and to investigate the kpossibility of the application of fluoride in Japan. Subjects were parents of primary school children and dentists drawn from several communities in Kanagawa Prefecture, and they were asked to complete a self-report questionnaire.The results were as follows,1. The results of the analyzes in parents of primary school(1) There were little differences in knowledge and opinions concerning use of fluoride among communities. Parents had much expectation of preventing dental caries, however knowledge and perception of effect and safety concerning use of fluoride were suspicious.(2) The experience of topical application of fluoride influence selects of procedure for using fluoride and channels of information on dental health.2. The results of the analysis in dentists(1) Distributions of opinions on dental health services and use of fluoride according to communities were similar except for economical factor. Dentists indieated enthusiastic attitudes toward prevention of dental diseases and highly estimate effect of health education.(2) Generally dentists supported the opinions to use topical applications of fluoride as procedure of preventing dental caries, and the perception of safety had a great influence on select of use of fluoride.Both parents and dentists in Kanagawa Prefecture seemed to think that topical applications of fluoride were more appropriate. However, it suggested that these opinions were not clearly formed by correct information and knowledge concerning use of fluoride.We could understand the structure of opinions and attitudes toward application of fluoride in residents and dentists. This grasp appears a significant suggestion for the policy of the dental health in Japan.