Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of an oral health talk aided by a video on improving the awareness of mothers about natal teeth in two rural communities in southwest Nigeria. Material and Methods: A cluster-randomized controlled trial was conducted among 80 mothers in two rural communities in Nigeria, randomized into study and control groups. Baseline information was obtained with a pre-tested interviewer administered questionnaire. The mothers in the study group participated in an oral health education program comprising of a video show on natal teeth in addition to an oral health talk. The control group did not receive any intervention. Post-intervention data was obtained three weeks afterwards. Data collected was analyzed with SPSS using paired t-test, independent t-test and Chi-square test . Results: The sociodemographic characteristics of participants in both groups were similar. The mean knowledge, attitude and practice percentage scores for the study group were 38.9 ± 26.3% (pre-intervention) and 73.6 ± 26.2% (post-intervention); while for the control group, the values were 43.2 ± 31.4% (pre-intervention) and 43.9 ± 32.4% (post-intervention). The study group, had a 34% increase in knowledge, attitude and practice percentage score (CI=23.7-45.5; t=6.4; p<0.001), while the control group, had an increase of 0.7% (CI=-0.7-2.2; t=1.00; p=0.323) . Conclusion: An oral health education program comprising of oral health talk and a video about natal teeth improved the awareness of mothers about natal teeth as a normal phenomenon.
Highlights
Natal teeth are teeth erupted at birth, while neonatal teeth are erupted in the first few weeks of life.Natal teeth are rare and it is estimated that they occur in 1:800 to 1:6,000 births [1,2]
The mothers in the study group participated in an oral health education program comprising of a video show on natal teeth in addition to an oral health talk
The study group, had a 34% increase in knowledge, attitude and practice percentage score (CI=23.7-45.5; t=6.4; p
Summary
Natal teeth are teeth erupted at birth, while neonatal teeth are erupted in the first few weeks of life.Natal teeth are rare and it is estimated that they occur in 1:800 to 1:6,000 births [1,2]. The literature has revealed that natal teeth have been viewed as a sign of good luck in Europe [7], reports have documented that in Nigeria, children born with natal teeth are viewed with contempt and derision [8,9] The families of such children are regarded as accursed and affected children stigmatized, as they are believed to possess supernatural powers to make negative pronouncements on people that would happen in the future. Such children suffer severe humiliation [10], they may be abandoned [11] and in some cases, infanticide is contemplated [8].
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