Oral health of neonates: mothers’ perception of lingual frenotomy performed in a university hospital

Abstract

ABSTRACT Objective: The study sought to know mothers’ perception of neonates on lingual frenotomy performed by a dental care program of a university hospital in Paraná Methods: It is a descriptive research with a qualitative approach, developed with mothers of newborns and whose children were submitted to a lingual frenzy procedure during maternal hospitalization (n = 09). Data were collected through a focus group interview and analyzed according to the content analysis technique Results: It was identified five thematic nuclei linked to lingual frenotomy in infants: ‘maternal impressions agaisnt the professional indication’; ‘Family trial’; ‘Need to perform frenotomy’; ‘Feelings after the completion of the frenotomy’; ‘Changes in baby behavior’. The main maternal impressions were linked to fear and suffering related to the babies reaction. Regarding to the need to perform the lingual frenotomy, the intrinsic opinions were initially divergent, however, all evidenced that the procedure was indispensable for the baby, mainly for speech. After the frenotomy completion, the mothers reported well-being for the improvement in the lingual physiology and babies’ quality of life, with emphasis on breastfeeding and improvement in the baby’s behavior Conclusion: The results obtained are encouraging for the hospital managers to consider, in their clinical protocols, the technique of lingual frenotomy in newborns, with a view to facilitating mothers’ access to the procedure, qualifying breastfeeding and consequently expanding the maternal and child bond.

Keywords

• Neonatology
• Oral health
• Social perception