Narratives about a stigma: attributing meaning to the early loss of deciduous teeth on children's caregivers

Qualitative approach about the implications that occur succeeding premature loss teeth is still insufficient. This study aimed to understand experience of early deciduous in children's lives, from perspective their caregivers. case included 52 caregivers children an outpatient service a public university south Brazil. Early trauma or caries was identified through analysis health records, and afterwards, semi-structured interviews were performed. Textual material interpreted content proposed by Bardin, supported ATLAS.ti software. The theoretical stigma guided according principles phenomenology Maurice Merleau-Ponty, centred on as historic-cultural expression social group. According caregivers, due decay brings functional limitations with chewing speaking, impairments related interaction other children. repercussions missing not limited child's image, but also brought changes families' daily lives. However, when tooth extraction because pain suffering, perceived 'commonplace' understanding how see themselves without world for which includes family friends, determines much experiencing affects Besides, caregivers' perceptions should be strategies oral promotion programs.