Practices of pediatricians and pediatric residents on oral care for patients with hand, foot and mouth disease

Objective: To assess the conduct of pediatricians and pediatric residents in Rio de Janeiro regarding oral care in children with hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD). Methods: Sectional and descriptive study. The sample consisted of Pediatricians and Pediatric residents from Rio de Janeiro. A structured questionnaire guide was applied online with questions on demographic and professional data, information on HFMD and care for oral lesions related to the disease. Results: 102 professionals took part in the study, 32.4% of whom were aged between 60 and 69, 83.3% were female and 91.1% had a pediatric degree. The majority (74.5%) treated between 1 and 5 cases of HFMD per month, 91.2% of the professionals gave advice on caring for oral lesions and 94.1% gave advice on diet. It was observed that 56.9% prescribed medication for these lesions, 52.9% of the professionals knew about the low-power lasers, 37 indicated its use and 29.4% referred patients to a pediatric dentist. Conclusion: There was a consensus among the participants about the medications prescribed and the general symptoms of HFMD. However, regarding oral lesions, except for dietary guidelines, the responses were varied and some diverged from the literature.