On the Mental Representation of (Un)Healthy Tooth: (Un)Healthy Tooth Profiles among Children

Objectives : A descriptive study of exploratory character with the objective to determine the representation of a healthy tooth and an unhealthy tooth, associated with the concept of dental decay. Methods : Children of both genders (880), distributed in six age groups of low socio-economic level, some already having prior contact with the dentist and others not. Three instruments were used: a sociodemographic questionnaire, pictograms representation protocols and drawing content analysis grid. Results : Content analysis on the drawings indicates significant discrepancies, inherent to the pictorial profiles. Conclusion : The results point to the need of developing educative tools for oral health.