AWARENESS OF DENTAL CARIES PREVENTION IN INFANTS AND YOUNG CHILDREN AMONG DENTAL STUDENTS AND DENTAL INTERNS

Introduction. Promoting a commitment to dental caries prevention in young children plays vital role establishing healthy lifestyle habits that ward off diseases. The initial visit is as cornerstone for fostering parental motivation preventing issues and providing optimal conditions the development of eating habits, oral care practices, use fluoride toothpaste. foundation knowledge, skills laid within family emulate adult behavior. Pediatric dentists, pediatricians, primary healthcare personnel should serve reliable sources knowledge. As determinants are influenced by family-related risk factors, such hygiene toothpaste, sugar carbohydrate consumption from an early age, parents bear responsibility creating environment conducive effective prevention. Dental professionals act key information health population workers.
 Objective. This study aims analyze awareness senior students interns regarding infants children.
 Materials Methods. A questionnaire was designed assess children. questionnaire, consisting 13 questions with multiple answer options, distributed using online Google form. It focused on evaluating knowledge disease prevention, including relationship between behavioral factors nutrition, recommendations children, fluoride-containing toothpaste.
 Results. Analysis responses revealed all participants were aware cariogenic nature sugar, 82.5% recognizing caries-causing potential fruit juices. However, cariogenicity other products, fruits (8.8%) dietary carbohydrates (25.4%), limited. While benefits breastfeeding growing child well-known, only 25.4% recognized prolonged, unregulated beyond one year contributes childhood caries. Moreover, 38.6% believed bottle-feeding milk formula can lead tooth decay. Recommendations feeding spoon cup after eruption first not provided any respondents. Only two individuals (1.8%) acknowledged co-sleeping mother pose factor Regarding parents, 12.3% medical suggested toothpaste brush, while guidance selecting appropriate disregarded Additionally, quantity be applied age at which start brushing their teeth considered, 53.5% respondents believing toothbrush alone sufficient.
 Conclusion. survey exposed insufficient among evidence-based methods