Hygiene Practices Of Children Research Articles

Individual, familial and country-level factors associated with oral hygiene practices in children: an international survey

BackgroundMaintaining good oral hygiene is key to preventing dental caries and periodontal disease. Children and adolescents with good oral hygiene behaviours are likely to grow into adults with the same behaviours. This study assessed the frequency of using various oral hygiene methods among children and adolescents from different countries and individual, familial and country-level factors associated with the use of these methods.MethodsA multi-country online survey collected data from caregivers of children in 2020–21 about children’s use of oral hygiene methods including toothbrush, fluoridated toothpaste, mouthwash, dental floss and miswak using self-administered, close-ended questions. Adjusted multilevel logistic regression models were used to assess the relationship between each of the five oral hygiene methods (dependent variables) and the independent factors: sex, age, and history of dental visits (individual factors), mother's education and area of residence (familial factors) as well as country income and region (country-level factors).ResultsA total of 4766 parents/caregivers were included from 20 countries (77.4% Eastern Mediterranean-region and 41.6% lower middle income countries). The most frequent oral hygiene methods were using toothbrush and toothpaste (90% and 60.3%). The use of oral hygiene methods differed by age, sex and history of dental visits as well as mother’s education and area of residence (P < 0.05). In addition, children from low income countries had significantly lower odds of using mouthwashes and dental floss than those from high income countries (AOR = 0.55, 95% CI 0.31, 0.98 and AOR = 0.34, 95% CI 0.12, 0.97) whereas children from the European region had higher odds of using mouthwash (AOR = 2.82, 95% CI 1.27, 6.26) and those from the region of the Americas had higher odds of using dental floss (AOR = 3.84, 95% CI 1.28, 11.52) than those from the Eastern Mediterranean region.ConclusionsThe use of various oral hygiene methods is associated with individual, familial and country-level factors. Oral health promotion programs should be developed taking into account these influences.

Assessment of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Practices among School Going Children

In rural areas, many important hygiene practices are unavailable causing gastrointestinal and respiratory infections in school-going children. The objective of this study was to assess water, sanitation, and hygiene practices among school-going children in rural areas of Gujrat, Pakistan. A cross-sectional study was conducted among school-going children in different schools in Gujrat, Pakistan. The data was collected in 4 months from December, 2021 to March, 2022 with a total number of 1000 participants. Data collection was carried out using a close-ended structured questionnaire among different school-going children. It contained a total of 14 questions about hygiene practices in children. Data was entered and analyzed on SPSS version 26 and frequencies and percentages were mentioned as their responses in the form of tables and pie charts. The results of the current study comprised responses of 1000 boys and girls from different schools. The responses showed that 601(60.1%) children did not wash their hands before and after meals in school while, 568(56.8%) children did not flush before and after the toilet, 578(57.8%) did not wash their genital organs, 995(99.5%) drank tap water in schools, and 646(64.6%) drank 5-10 glasses of water per day. It was concluded by the study that most of school-going children did not follow hygienic practices and there is need to highlight the issues

Case-Control Study to Evaluate the Oral Hygiene Habits in 31 Children with Hemophilia in Bulgaria Using the Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14) Questionnaire

BackgroundFor patients with hereditary coagulopathies such as hemophilia, the most common dental problem is spontaneous oral bleeding caused by daily oral hygiene habits like tooth brushing. Because of fear of bleeding, children with hemophilia often skip routine oral hygiene procedures, which can lead to dental caries and periodontal diseases. This case control study aimed to evaluate the oral hygiene awareness and hygiene practices of children with hemophilia from 6 to 18 years of age in Bulgaria.Material/MethodsThis study was conducted over 4 years and included 31 patients (children). A sociological approach was used, with direct individual questionnaires for self-assessment of dental habits. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS.ResultsThere was no significant difference between groups in methods of oral hygiene. The duration of oral hygiene procedures was 1 min (n=5, 16.13±6.61%) or 2 min (n=13, 41.94±8.86%), which was considered insufficient for proper oral hygiene. Children who had received oral hygiene advice by a dentist brushed their teeth significantly longer (n=9, 69.23±12.80%) than those who had not. There was a considerable difference between the reasons for the last dental visit between the groups of children (χ2=5.18, P<0.05).ConclusionsChildren with hemophilia have high awareness of oral hygiene methods; however, more attention should be focused on additional individual educational methods at the dental office. Frequent professional and self-assessment of the oral hygiene routine of children with hemophilia could identify the factors compromising dental status in this vulnerable population.

Oral health knowledge, attitudes, and behavior of primary school teachers of Tehran, Iran

Introduction: Schools are the valuable place for promotion of oral health, and primary school teachers have a unique position to influence oral hygiene practices in children. The aim of this study was to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of primary school teachers of Tehran, Iran. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey was conducted among 195 primary school teachers of Tehran, Iran. The multiple-choice questionnaire regarding dental disease prevention is comprised of ten questions on knowledge, seven on practice, and five on attitude. Distribution of individuals in terms of variables was expressed as numbers and percentages, and a logistic regression test was used to investigate the relationship between variables. Results: 61.6% of the primary school teachers in Tehran had good knowledge on oral health, but their attitude, especially about their role in teaching oral health, is very unfavorable. Teachers with higher education and participation in continuing educational courses had a positive effect on their performance. Conclusion: All teachers should be trained at regular intervals, given the importance of oral health and raising awareness about improving oral health for their students.

Parental Knowledge about Healthy Sleep Hygiene practices in Children under 6 Year Old: an Exploratory Study

Abstract Introduction Children aged 5 to 12 years old needs, at least, 10-11 hours of sleep. Nowadays, children under 6 years old become more interested in TV, computers and in Internet which can lead to difficulty falling asleep. Parent knowledge about child sleep hygiene can influence parent capacity to promote healthy sleep habits, and should be supported by accurate information. Objectives To analyse parents knowledge of children sleep practices. Methodology A convenience sample of parents (n = 201) of children from three schools in a northern city of Portugal completed the "Sleep Ideas" Parent Survey on child sleep habits and parental basic sleep knowledge, beliefs and attitudes regarding sleep as a health behaviour. Results Of the 201 analysed surveys (response rate 67 %), 33.8 % are from parents of children aged under 3 years old, 19.4 % of children with 3 years older, 24.4 % of children with 4 years old, 16.4 % of children with 5 years old and 6.0 % of children with 6 years old. In general, the percentage of correct answers was 84.8 %. Regarding children age, the percentage of correct answers ranged between 77.9 to 86.2 %, being the parents of children with 6 years old those who had the highest percentage of incorrect answers (22.1 %) and, on the other hand, the parents of children with 3 years old those who had the lowest percentage of incorrect answers (13.8 %). The answer with the highest percentage of incorrect answers, in all parents, was “Making a physical effort before going to sleep makes falling asleep easier” (46.8 %). Conclusion In this study, parents revealed a very reasonable knowledge about sleep, which suggests a good capability to influence positively children’s habits. Parents with high sleep knowledge are more able to promote healthy sleep hygiene habits. Further studies are warranted to promote a better understanding of all the determinant dimensions for good sleeping habits.

Knowledge Attitude Practice on the Oral Hygiene Practices in Children Below 12 Years

The brushing techniques in children are different when compared with those in adults. Children of this age category are more prone to tooth decays. When the primary teeth has decays and is not treated, it may infect the primary teeth and hence this research is important to prevent infection. Two hundred participants aged between 3–12 were recruited through a survey. A questionnaire was administered to generate information on oral hygiene practices. This was an online survey undertaken by using the link https://surveyplanet. com//.Oral hygiene is of major concern and only 43.4% people take proper care. It is also seen that about 72% children use toothbrush to brush their teeth. It is also seen that majority of the children, about 72% use toothpaste. Whereas about 4% people use salt and water or oil for brushing. The level of individuals utilizing oral cleanliness helps other than toothbrush and toothpaste was less. Subsequently, the dental experts need to instruct and inspire individuals about the oral cleanliness support alongside legitimate choice and utilization of the different oral cleanliness helps.

A cross-sectional study of intestinal parasitoses in dogs and children of the periurban area of La Plata (Buenos Aires, Argentina): Zoonotic importance and implications in public health.

A cross-sectional study was performed between school term dates 2014 and 2015 to diagnose intestinal parasites in dogs and children living with them. The socio-environmental characteristics and hygiene practices of the children were also evaluated in terms of risk factors for parasitic infection of periurban neighbourhoods of La Plata (Buenos Aires, Argentina). Serial coproparasitological samples of 78 dogs and 211 children were analysed by means of concentration and flotation techniques. Socio-environmental variables and hygiene practices of children were evaluated through semi-structured questionnaires which were answered by every family. The study showed that 82.1% of dogs were parasitized. The specific richness was of 11 species; Ancylostoma caninum (69.2%), Uncinaria stenocephala (41.0%), Trichuris vulpis (28.2%) and Toxocara canis (21.8%) were the most prevalent. The study also revealed that 67.8% of children were positive. Also, 11 species were identified and the most prevalent were Blastocystis sp. (36.0%), Enterobius vermicularis (27.5%) and Giardia lamblia (21.3%). The risk for parasitosis was higher in 6-year-old children and older (OR=1.9, 95% IC: 1.0-3.7) and in those who did not wash their hands or did it occasionally after playing with their pets (OR=2.8, 95% IC: 1.4-5.5). Blastocystis sp. and Entamoeba coli infection risks were greater in children whose parents had a basic level of education (OR=3.4, 95% IC: 1.3-8.7 and OR=3.6, 95% IC: 0.8-15.9, respectively). In addition, the risk of infection for E.coli was higher in children who lived in floodable houses (OR=4.4, 95% IC: 0.9-16.6). Likewise, the risk of infection for E.vermicularis was greater in children with onychophagia (OR=1.6, 95% IC: 0.7-3.7) and in 6year olds and older whose parents completed only primary studies (OR=3.6, 95% IC: 1.4-9.1). The results obtained show the existence of a worrying epidemiological scenario that stresses the importance of zoonotic parasitosis as a serious problem of public health.

Factors Influencing Compliance with Oral Hygiene Practices Among Upper Primary School Children at Eldoret Town in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya

Oral health is an important part of general health of body while poor oral hygiene can be a source of many diseases and especially among children. Compliance with practices enhances oral health, individual self esteem, social acceptability among the peers and general health. The practices that prevent and reduce oral diseases include tooth brushing; tooth flossing; use of fluoridated toothpaste for brushing and mouth rinsing and lower consumption of sugary foods and beverages. Regular dental visits are a practice that helps in early detection and prevention of dental diseases. Several factors influence compliance with oral hygiene practices among the children. The study was done to investigate factors that influence compliance with oral hygiene practices among upper primary school children at Eldoret Town. First and foremost the study established the compliance of the children with oral hygiene practices. Specifically factors considered in this study were family and school characteristics. The research design was a descriptive cross-section survey conducted in four primary schools in Eldoret Town of Uasin Gishu County, Kenya. The sample comprised three hundred and sixteen (316) upper primary school children. Results showed that majority (70.3%) of the respondents brushed their teeth using toothbrush twice daily and 63.6% used fluoridated toothpaste. Only 24.3% used dental floss while 54.6% had never visited a dentist for checkups in-spite of having knowledge. There was a significant correlation between compliance with oral hygiene practices and family and school characteristics (r=0.425, p<0.001 and r=0.238, p<0.001) respectively. The study concluded that children in upper primary school were compliant with tooth brushing using fluoridated toothpaste. However, they were non-compliant with the use of dental floss and going for dental check-up. The study also concluded that family characteristics (role models, motivation/encouragement, financial ability) and school characteristics (oral health curriculum, teachers trained in oral health, working school health team, safe environment with adequate water, free from unhealthy foods) influenced the compliance with oral hygiene practices of children.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Oral Hygiene in Children of Eastern Nepal

Objectives: The objectives of the study were to study knowledge, attitude and practice of oral hygiene in the school children of eastern region of Nepal of age group 6-13 years. Methods and materials: The study was undertaken in the eastern region of Nepal with a sample population of 2,500 children in the age group of 6- 13 years. A questionnaire which was formulated to assess knowledge, attitude and practices of oral hygiene was used. Silness and Loe Plaque index was used to record plaque scores.Results: It was found that 62.3% of the 10- 13 years age group had plaque score of 3 (fair) and 37.7% had a plaque score of 4 (poor) as compared to 59.7% and 40.3% in the 6-9 years age group. The children aged 10-13 years had higher percentage of good oral hygiene compared to 6-9 years children.Conclusion: The present study concludes that in spite of good oral hygiene practices in children, their overall oral hygiene status was found to be poor. Upon investigating about the knowledge of how to maintain good oral hygiene, maximum number of children responded by brushing twice daily. This implicates that knowledge without proper practice is lacking in children of eastern Nepal.

Dentition Status and Oral Health Practice among Hearing and Speech-Impaired Children:A Cross-sectional Study.

The main aim of this study was to assess the oral health status and oral hygiene practices in children with impaired hearing and speech. A total of 76 children in the age group of 5 to 18 years of both sexes were surveyed and information about their oral hygiene practices, previous dental visit and oral health knowledge were obtained through a questionnaire. Around 61% of the children had never visited a dentist, 82.89% and 17.11% of them brushed once and twice daily respectively. More than 90% of them cared about their teeth as much as any other part of the body. 42% of the children had dental caries, and gingivitis was seen in 35% of the children and malocclusion in 19% of them.