Knowledge and beliefs about oral health: qualitative study in a Peruvian Amazonian indigenous community

Abstract

Introduction: Amazonian indigenous populations present multiple public health problems, among them, a high prevalence of dental caries, which increases the further away they are from the urban area. Despite this, the knowledge and beliefs they have regarding oral hygiene practices have not been explored, which, if not applied correctly, would worsen their health condition. Goal. To determine the knowledge and beliefs related to oral health in a Peruvian Amazonian indigenous community. Materials and methods: Qualitative research composed of semi-structured interviews and focus groups on aspects related to oral health. The sample consisted of fathers and mothers of children between 1 and 9 years of age from the Amazonian indigenous community of Cantagallo, Peru. The data were compiled and coded using Atlas.ti, version 7. The study has been approved by the Institutional Research Ethics Committee of the Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia (N°205362). Results: Of a total of 7 people (2 participated in a semi-structured interview and 5 participated in the focus group), most knew that brushing their teeth was important to protect their children's oral health, they reported that their usual hygiene practice was to use a brush and toothpaste. Most of the mothers reported helping their children during brushing. The participants stated that the advantage of cleaning their teeth was to avoid pain and difficulty eating. Conclusion: This Amazonian indigenous community from Cantagallo presented basic knowledge about oral health.