Roles of Parents in Preventing Dental Caries in the Primary Dentition Among Preschool Children in Thailand

Abstract

This study aimed to identify important roles of parents in preventing caries in primary dentition among preschool children in Thailand. A total of 664 preschool children aged 3 to 4 years and their parents were sampled from representative provinces of the 5 regions of Thailand. Dental examination to assess dental caries in preschool children was conducted. Questionnaires investigating roles of parents in caring for their children's teeth were used to interview parents. Preschool children were more likely to have at least 1 carious tooth if parents did not always clean their teeth every time they bathed them, did not always examine the cleanliness of children's teeth regularly, and always allowed children to consume snacks more than 3 times a day. Thai parents must be motivated to consistently spend the time required to take care of the primary dentition of their children by regular cleaning and controlling the snacking behavior of children.