Inconsistencies in recommendations on oral hygiene practices for children by professional dental and paediatric organisations in ten countries

Fifty-two of 59 (88%) organisations responded to our request and 24 dental health education materials were submitted to the authors. They mentioned recommendations on oral hygiene practices for children, such as toothbrushing frequency, supervision and technique; when to start and how long toothbrushing should last; toothbrush design and replacement; flossing; gums/teeth wiping; tongue cleaning; type and amount of toothpaste and advice on toothpaste ingestion. The search at PubMed and the Cochrane Library resulted in 11 systematic reviews addressing these topics.

Conclusions. Several oral hygiene messages delivered by professional organisations showed inconsistencies and lacked scientific support.