SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS OF THE CHOICE OF ORAL CARE PRODUCTS FOR CHILDREN - PROFESSIONAL VIEW OF A PHARMACEUTICAL SPECIALIST
Objective. To study the international and Russian requirements for the choice of oral care products (SGPR) and to assess the consumer behavior and information needs of minor children and parents with regard to the prevention of dental diseases. Methods. The study used a system approach consisting of 3 steps: analysis of international and Russian recommendations and publications on the choice of oral care products; analysis of pharmacy products presented to the pharmacy organization to meet the demand for oral care products; study of consumer behavior in the selection of oral care products using questionnaires developed by authors. Results. As a result of the analysis of sources of foreign and Russian literature, criteria for the selection of oral care products for children of different age categories were formed. It was established that temporary and permanent teeth during the growth and development of the child are accompanied by a number of anatomical and physiological features of the structure of solid tissues, which makes it necessary to carefully care for the teeth of children using SGPR in accordance with age throughout the child's growing up. It was revealed that the pharmacy assortment presents an insufficient range for rational selection of toothpaste (on the example of toothpaste) in terms of age categories established by the toothpaste manufacturer (from 0 to 3 years, from 3 (4) to 7 (8) years (depending on the brand), from 6 to 12 years, from 8 to 18 years, from 12 to 18 years). It is noted that from the age of 8 many parents independently "transfer" children to adult SGPR. The questionnaire revealed insufficient competence of children and adults to prevent dental risks. We established that in most cases (67%), children of school age (10 to 17 years) and parents (57%) require expert advice in the selection of oral hygiene products. Conclusion. The SGPR for children of different ages are characterized by fundamental differences in composition and other parameters and has significant differences from similar products for adults. Pharmacy organizations present an insufficient range of SGPR from the point of view of meeting the target needs of children of different age categories, taking into account the physiological peculiarities of the child's development and their dental status. The authors updated the need for health education of the population on the basis of a professional approach in the formation of a pharmacy range and the implementation of the SGPR within the framework of sanitary education activities of pharmaceutical specialists.