The role of the dentist in the discovery of child abuse.

Abstract

Child abuse is considered a public health problem due to the large number of cases reported. The problem
worsened further by the fact that it is the main cause of death of children from 5 years of age. Data show
that most cases are practiced within the child's own home. They can be categorized into physical abuse,
sexual abuse, emotional abuse and neglect. There is child maltreatment that make their discovery difficult,
as per the emotional abuse that does not present visible physical signs; For your discovery you need to
make a thorough assessment of the behavior of the child. The physical abuse should have a detailed
assessment also not to be confused with lesions or signs of any systemic alteration and the dentist is one
of the main actors in observing indicative signs. The objective of this literature review is to show the
importance that the dentist has in identifying maltreatment through contact with children in periodic
consultations, since the signs are usually found in the head and neck region. It also intends to identify
whether these professionals are able to investigate the presence of mistreatment. Violence in children
promotes several types of alterations, especially behavior. Reporting on the important role of the dentist
causes more attention to identify cases and thus participate actively in the monitoring and notification of its
occurrence.
KEYWORDS: Child abuse; Violence; Child abuse; Domestic violence; Dental neglect.