Examining Parents Oral Hygiene Knowledge and Their Children’s Oral Hygiene Behaviors

Abstract

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between a parent’s level of oral hygiene knowledge and the oral hygiene behaviors of their children ages 7 to 17 in the greater United States. The theoretical framework of Albert Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory and the Health Belief Model guided the study. Instruments included the Oral Health Surveys Basic Methods 5th Edition and the Fourth National Survey of China for data collection. Q Data analysis was performed utilizing the chi-square test of independence to determine the likelihood of a relationship between the parent’s oral hygiene knowledge and their child’s oral hygiene behaviors. Additionally, prevalence was performed to investigate characteristics of a parent’s hygiene knowledge and a child’s oral hygiene behaviors that occurred at a specified point of time. According to the data results, many of the parents displayed mostly positive oral hygiene knowledge. Emerging areas of concerns included the application of sealants to the teeth to prevent dental caries and what causes dental caries. Recommendations for future research suggest that parents are provided with the proper educational literature regarding the application of sealants to help prevent dental caries and what factors cause dental caries. Additionally, the researcher recommends integrating oral health education into school health programs to help parents with the reinforcement of proper oral health behaviors for their children (Simmer-Beck et al., 2015). The researcher also recommends that parents receive educational literature to inform them on the advantages of brushing properly to reduce the occurrence of dental caries.