GEOGRAPHICAL BARRIERS TO THE USE OF TOOTHPASTE CONTAINING ≥1000 PPM FLUORIDE IN PERUVIAN CHILDREN.

Objective: The aim of this was to determine the geographical barriers for the use of equal or more than 1000 (≥1000) parts per million (ppm) of toothpaste with fluorine (F) in children aged 1 to 11 years in Peru in 2018. Material and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study, the database of Demographic and Family Health Survey (ENDES, for its Spanish acronym) of Peru in 2018 was used; the final sample was 25660 records of children between 1 and 11 years old. The variables evaluated were the use of ≥1000 ppm fluoride toothpaste, place of residence, natural region, area of residence, region, wealth index, access to dental service, whether information was received about oral hygiene, daily tooth brushing, age and sex. A descriptive, bivariate (Chi square) and multivariate (log-linear Poisson regression) analysis was performed. Results: An association was found between the use of toothpaste ≥1000 ppm F with place of residence: small city vs capital-large city with an adjusted prevalence ratio (RPa): 0.94; 95% confidence interval (95% IC): 0.90-0.98, town and country vs. capital-large city both with an RPa: 0.95; 95% CI: 0.91-0.99. With natural region: rest of the Coast vs Lima with RPa: 0.94; 95% CI: 0.91-0.98, Sierra vs Lima with RPa: 0.95; 95% CI: 0.92-0.99 and Jungle vs Lima with RPa: 0.94; 95% CI: 0.90-0.98). Conclusion: The place of residence and the natural region are geographic barriers to the use ≥1000 ppm fluoride toothpaste in children aged between 1 and 11 years in Peru in 2018.