Oral Health Of Preschool Children Research Articles

S-solution과 A-solution을 이용한 구강함수가 미취학 아동의 구강건강에 미치는 효과

2 Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of gargling with S-solution and gargling with A-solution on salivary pH, coated tongue, and dental plaque index in preschool children. Methods: Non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design was used to select the participants. 99 preschool children were divided into three groups. Dependent variables were recorded at baseline, 30 min- utes, and 7 days after the first treatment was given. The data were analyzed using X 2 -test, ANOVA, and repeated measures of ANOVA. Results: There were no significant differences in dependent variables in pre-test. However, the salivary pH in the S-solution group had significantly increased after 30 minutes (p < .05) and then again 7 days (p < .01) after the first treatment. Also, the S-solution and A-solution groups had greater decrease in dental plaque index after 30 minutes and again 7 days after the first treatment (p < .001) than the control group. With respect to coated tongue, there were no significant differences among the three groups. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that essential oil gargling after brushing is helpful in improving oral health due to auxiliary oral hy- giene effects with natural products. Specifically, gargling with S-solution is more effective than A-solution on oral health in preschool children by neutralizing salivary pH and reducing dental plaque index.

Risk Factors, Perception of Caregivers and Impact of Early Childhood Caries on Quality of Life Related to Oral Health of Preschool Children and their Families

Objective: To identify risk factors, feeling of guilt, perception of caregivers and to evaluate the impact of early childhood caries (ECC) on quality of life related to oral health of children and their families. Material and Methods: 40 preschoolers were included in this study. Data were collected through an interview with caregivers regarding sociodemographic data, risks factors and ECC. Data on perception of caregivers related to child’s oral health, as well of questionnaire to evaluate quality of life – BECOHIS were also collected thought interview. Results: Analysis of categorical variables investigated, such as the risk factors for ECC, was performed using Chi-square test. For numeric variables, such as the parents’ perceptions and the BECOHIS questionnaire score was performed with Mann Whitney test. Significance level was set at 5%. A difference was found between groups for the following investigated issues: “reason for seeking treatment”, and “type of feeding” (breastfeeding or milk bottle) (p< 0.05). Caregivers felt guilty in relation to the oral health of their children and also by perceiving changes in their oral health status such as the presence of pain. The feeling of guilt expressed by parents was observed when related to toothache (p=0.01). Association between presence of caries and perception of caregivers of the oral health condition was observed (p<0.05). ECC impacts quality of life related to oral health of children (p=0.003) and caregivers (p=0.003). Conclusion: Among the risk factors investigated, type of feeding is associated with ECC. ECC affects the quality of life related to oral health of children afflicted and their families.

Improving maternal oral health knowledge and practices: an intervention from Sri Lanka

Background: Oral health is one of the most common chronic diseases among school children in Sri Lanka. However, there is little or no priority given for oral health preventive strategies. The role of mother or the primary carer of children was identified as significant in oral health promotion. In this context it was vital to empower mothers or care givers of preschool children to improve oral health of children. Objectives: To develop and implement an intervention to promote the oral health of preschool children. To assesses the oral health knowledge and selected oral health care practices of mothers or care givers of preschool children before and after the intervention. Methods: A community based quasi experimental study was conducted in the District of Colombo, Sri Lanka. An intervention in the form of a lecture discussion based on a booklet developed for this study was implemented. An interviewer administered questionnaire was used to assess oral health knowledge and practices before intervention and six months after the intervention. Results: At pre intervention, both intervention and control groups were similar except for Oral health practices and house hold food practices. Oral health knowledge, Oral health practices, tooth brushing practices of preschool child and Household food practices were significantly higher in intervention group at post intervention(p <0.005). Conclusion: Mothers/care givers of preschool children were able to improve and maintain positive practical oral health care behaviours after an educational intervention. However, changes in food practices could not be achieved at the same level of significance.

Korean Preschool Children's Snack and Soda Consumption and Lack of Regular Dental Checkup May Increase Risk for Early Childhood Caries

Article Title and Bibliographic Information Regular dental checkup and snack-soda drink consumption of preschool children are associated with early childhood caries in Korean caregiver/preschool children dyads. Han DH, Kim DH, Kim MJ, Kim JB, Kyunghee JC, Bae KH. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 2014;42(1):70-8. Reviewer Hiroko Iida, DDS, MPH Purpose/Question What is the relationship of preschool children's oral health behavior and caregivers' self-reported oral health to the prevalence of early childhood caries (ECC) in Dong-gu, Ulsan, Korea? Source of Funding Government: National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant (No. 2011-0009536) funded by the Korean Ministry of Education, Science and Technology Type of Study/Design Cross-sectional study Level of Evidence Level 3: Other evidence Strength of Recommendation Grade Not applicable

Knowledge and attitude of Saudi mothers towards their preschool children's oral health.

To determine knowledge and attitude of Saudi mothers towards their preschool children's oral health. One hundred and one mothers (of children aged 16 to 40 months) attending well-baby clinics at Security Forces Hospital Polyclinics in Makkah Al-Mukarrama participated in the study. A questionnaire was used to collect the required information. A great majority (92.1%) of the mothers agreed that "baby teeth are important for child's general health. Similarly, 90.1% of the mothers agreed that "using fluoridated toothpaste helps to prevent tooth decay". About four in every ten mothers (43.6%) agreed that a child should be allowed to use a bottle at-will when he/she becomes able to hold it. More than half of the mothers (54.5%) agreed that letting baby sleep with bottle still in the mouth was of no harm to teeth. A significantly (p=0.04) higher percentage of high Socioeconomic status (SES) mothers as compared to middle SES mothers (85.9% versus 55.6%) agreed that "frequent feeding with milk or milk formula is of no harm to baby's teeth". A significantly (p=003) higher percentage of the middle SES mothers as compared to high SES mothers (66.7% versus 17.4%) agreed that a child should only visit a dentist in case of a dental pain/problem. The mothers need to be educated in several important areas related to feeding, diet and first dental check-up visit of their children.

Common risk factor approach to address socioeconomic inequality in the oral health of preschool children--a prospective cohort study.

BackgroundDental caries remains the most prevalent chronic condition in children and a major contributor to poor general health. There is ample evidence of a skewed distribution of oral health, with a small proportion of children in the population bearing the majority of the burden of the disease. This minority group is comprised disproportionately of socioeconomically disadvantaged children. An in-depth longitudinal study is needed to better understand the determinants of child oral health, in order to support effective evidence-based policies and interventions in improving child oral health. The aim of the Study of Mothers’ and Infants’ Life Events Affecting Oral Health (SMILE) project is to identify and evaluate the relative importance and timing of critical factors that shape the oral health of young children and then to seek to evaluate those factors in their inter-relationship with socioeconomic influences.Methods/DesignThis investigation will apply an observational prospective study design to a cohort of socioeconomically-diverse South Australian newborns and their mothers, intensively following these dyads as the children grow to toddler age. Mothers of newborn children will be invited to participate in the study in the early post-partum period. At enrolment, data will be collected on parental socioeconomic status, mothers’ general and dental health conditions, details of the pregnancy, infant feeding practice and parental health behaviours and practices. Data on diet and feeding practices, oral health behaviours and practices, and dental visiting patterns will be collected at 3, 6, 12 and 24 months of age. When children turn 24-30 months, the children and their mothers/primary care givers will be invited to an oral examination to record oral health status. Anthropometric assessment will also be conducted.DiscussionThis prospective cohort study will examine a wide range of determinants influencing child oral health and related general conditions such as overweight. It will lead to the evaluation of the inter-relationship among main influences and their relative effect on child oral health. The study findings will provide high level evidence of pathways through which socio-environmental factors impact child oral health. It will also provide an opportunity to examine the relationship between oral health and childhood overweight.

Common risk factor approach to address socioeconomic inequality in the oral health of preschool children - a prospective cohort study

Common risk factor approach to address socioeconomic inequality in the oral health of preschool children - a prospective cohort study

Mothers' behaviours and knowledge related to caries experience of their children.

Insufficient attention paid by public institutions to primary oral health protection measures has contributed to a poor oral health status in Kosovo, especially in children. Because the oral health promotion activities identified the significant roles of mothers in primary prevention, the aim of this study was to determine the level of knowledge and the behaviour of mothers in connection with the caries experience of their children. 664 of the mothers who accompanied their children to dental visits were interviewed and data on maternal knowledge and attitudes towards the oral health of preschool children were collected. The children underwent dental examination and the dmft index was recorded. The mean dmft index in all children was 6.30 ± 3.23. A high prevalence of early childhood caries was recorded. The highest mean dmft was recorded for children whose mothers had finished primary and secondary school (6.41 ± 3.36 and 6.62 ± 2.87, respectively). The mothers displayed insufficient knowledge regarding dental visits, feeding, oral hygiene maintenance and the utilisation of fluoride/antimicrobial agents. The results of this study show that the level of knowledge about oral health among interviewed mothers is very low to nonexistent. Mothers need to be educated and encouraged that they are a key factor in improving the oral health habits of their children. Since caries represents a serious public health problem in Kosovo, an overall preventive programme for oral health promotion is needed, including the oral health education of mothers.

Promoting oral health in preschool children: impact of implementation fidelity on program outcomes of a multicomponent intervention in a primary health care setting

Background Oral health promotion campaigns have been developed in many countries. However, as the process of implementing these campaigns has seldom been evaluated, it is not clear how intervention dose affects the program outcomes. This study evaluates the implementation of a longitudinal intervention program to promote oral health in preschool children in an existing preventive health care organization in Flanders, Belgium. In addition to implementation fidelity and intervention dose, it also evaluates the setting as …

The role of paediatricians in oral health of preschool children in the United Kingdom: a national survey of paediatric postgraduate specialty trainees

There is little information available about oral health knowledge of paediatricians in the UK. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge, training and attitudes of postgraduate (PG) paediatric trainees regarding oral health and determine the willingness to play an active role in promotion of better dental health in preschool children. A web-based anonymous survey of PG paediatric trainees was sent to all 3,180 registered PG specialty trainees through their E-Portfolio by the Education and Training Support Team of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. A total of 479 PG speciality trainees at different levels of training completed the survey, resulting in a response rate of 15%. Seven questions assessed the related training and attitudes of the PG specialty trainees towards their role in children's oral health. 96% of respondents found the amount of training in oral health too little and 95% responded they had not received any teaching during their training. Although 74% of participants agreed that paediatricians should assess children's oral health, 61% rated their ability as below average. The last three questions inquired about more specific oral health knowledge. Regarding recommended fluoride concentration in children's toothpastes in the UK, only 20% of the PG specialty trainees responded correctly according to the current Department of Heath guidelines that it should be 1,000ppm or more. Although the surveyed PG specialty trainees overwhelmingly believed they should play an active part in promoting better oral health for young children, a reported lack of training and up-to-date information appears to limit their role in education of parents and prevention of oral disease at an early stage.

Evaluation of an oral health promotion program at the time of birth on dental caries in 5‐year‐old children in Vorarlberg, Austria

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of an early oral health promotion program (OHPP) on oral health of 5-year-old children in Austria by providing new mothers with dental health counseling. Qualified dental health educators visited all mothers at time after birth in regional hospitals in Vorarlberg and counseled them regarding the oral health of their children as a one-off intervention. Mothers were given comprehensive oral hygiene instructions for their children and themselves (daily use of fluoride toothpaste, restoration of own caries lesions), which included practical tooth brush training and dietary counseling by the use of brief motivational interviewing and anticipatory guidance approaches. After 5years, a case-cohort study was conducted to evaluate the program with annual dental check-ups of 471 children and a parent survey. Dental caries was scored using WHO diagnostic criteria at dentine level without radiography. To compare oral health parameters (dmfs/dmft, care index), children were allocated to intervention and control group and matched on basis of age, sex, ethnicity, and socio-economic status (SES) and analyzed statistically. Children whose mothers participated in the OHPP showed significantly lower caries prevalence and experience (33.2%; 3.2±7.4 d3-4 mfs/1.5±2.5 d3-4 mft) than children whose mothers did not participate (42.6%; 5.2±6.4 d3-4 mfs/2.4±4.1 d3-4 mft). Bivariate analysis showed that ethnicity, SES, age at which toothbrushing started, supervision of toothbrushing, use of fluoride salt, and use of fluoride toothpaste were significantly related to d3-4 mft. The OHPP was an effective community-based preventive approach for improving oral health in preschool children.

Evaluating the Implementation Fidelity of a Multicomponent Intervention for Oral Health Promotion in Preschool Children

This study evaluates the process of implementation of a longitudinal intervention program to promote oral health in preschool children in Flanders, Belgium. As the program was implemented in an existing preventive health care organization, the study also evaluates this setting as the context for implementation. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used to evaluate implementation fidelity, based on Carroll's theoretical framework of implementation fidelity (Carroll et al., Implementation Science 2:40, 2007). Questionnaire data from participants and health workers were analyzed, and document analyses were performed to compare registrations of the actions with the planning manual. Results were mixed. Whereas more than 88 % of all parents attended all home visits, only 57 % received at least 9 of the 11 planned consultations. Fifty-two percent of the families received all supporting materials, and on average, 73 % of all attending families received all information at a contact as described in the manual. Moderating factors such as the adequate use of facilitators and high participant responsiveness had a positive impact on implementation fidelity, whereas the quality of delivery differed to a great extent between the nurses who were involved during the entire intervention period and those who gave only a few sessions. Implementing an intervention in an existing well-baby program has many advantages, although lack of time presents a challenge to implementation fidelity. The results of this process evaluation allow a better understanding of the contribution of implementation fidelity to the effectiveness of health promotion programs.

Regular dental checkup and snack–soda drink consumption of preschool children are associated with early childhood caries in Korean caregiver/preschool children dyads

Early childhood caries (ECC) is a common oral disease among young Korean children. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of ECC with preschool children's oral health behavior and caregivers' oral health in Ulsan, Korea. In 2006, cross-sectional survey of 1214 children under 6 years old and their care givers were surveyed. Two dentists examined according to the WHO criteria. Outcome variable was ECC, and explanatory variables were preschool children's oral health behavior and caregivers' oral health. The chi-square test and multiple log-binomial regression models were performed. The prevalence of simple ECC was 47.5% and that of severe ECC was 34.8%. In bivariate analysis, ECC prevalence was increased according to children's age, caregiver's age, and type of housing. In multiple log-binomial regression models, preschool children's irregular oral checkup [prevalence ratio (PR): 1.7 for simple ECC and 1.8 for severe ECC] and frequent snack and soda drinking (PR: 1.2 for simple ECC, and 1.6 for severe ECC) were significant factors. This study demonstrates that the prevalence of ECC was high among Korean children. Early intervention programs for preschool children's oral health behavior should be developed based on the risk factors identified in this study.

Dental neglect as a marker of broader neglect: a qualitative investigation of public health nurses' assessments of oral health in preschool children.

BackgroundChild neglect is a pernicious child protection issue with adverse consequences that extend to adulthood. Simultaneously, though it remains prevalent, childhood dental caries is a preventable disease. Public health nurses play a pivotal role in assessing oral health in children as part of general health surveillance. However, little is known about how they assess dental neglect or what their thresholds are for initiating targeted support or instigating child protection measures. Understanding these factors is important to allow improvements to be made in care pathways.MethodsWe investigated public health nurses’ assessment of oral health in preschool children in relation to dental neglect and any associations they make with child neglect more broadly. A qualitative study was conducted in Scotland during 2011/12. Sixteen public health nurses were recruited purposively from one health region. Individual, semi-structured interviews were undertaken and data were analyzed inductively using a framework approach. Categories were subsequently mapped to the research questions.ResultsPublic health nurses assess oral health through proxy measures, opportunistic observation and through discussion with parents. Dental neglect is rarely an isolated issue that leads on its own to child protection referral. It tends to be other presenting issues that initiate a response. Threshold levels for targeted support were based on two broad indicators: social issues and concerns about child (and parental) dental health. Thresholds for child protection intervention were untreated dental caries or significant dental pain. Barriers to intervention are that dental neglect may be ‘unseen’ and ‘unspoken’. The study revealed a communication gap in the care pathway for children where a significant dental problem is identified.ConclusionsPublic health nurses take their child protection role seriously, but rarely make a link between dental caries and child neglect. Clear guidance on oral health assessment is required for public health nurses. Establishing formal communication pathways between child dental care providers and public health nurses may help close gaps in care pathways. However, further research is required into how these communication mechanisms can be improved.

Breastfeeding for oral health in preschool children

Breastfeeding for oral health in preschool children

High caries prevalence and risk factors among young preschool children in an urban community with water fluoridation

Singapore is unique in that it is a 100% urban community with majority of the population living in a homogeneous physical environment. She, however, has diverse ethnicities and cultures as such; there may be caries risk factors that are unique to this population. The aims were to assess the oral health of preschool children and to identify the associated caries risk factors. An oral examination and a questionnaire were completed for each consenting child-parent pair. One hundred and ninety children (mean age: 36.3±6.9months) were recruited from six community medical clinics. Ninety-two children (48.4%) were caries active. The mean d123 t and d123 s scores were 2.2±3.3 and 3.0±5.6, respectively. Higher plaque scores were significantly (P<0.0005) associated with all measures of decay (presence of decay, dt, ds). The risk factors for severity of decay (i.e., dt and ds) include child's age, breastfeeding duration, and parents' ability to withhold cariogenic snacks from their child. The high caries rate suggests that current preventive methods to reduce caries in Singapore may have reached their maximum effectiveness, and other risk factors such as child's race, and dietary and breastfeeding habits need to be addressed.

Socio-behavioral factors influence prevalence and severity of dental caries in children with primary dentition

The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of socio-behavioral variables on the prevalence and severity of dental caries in 4- to 6-year-old children. A cross-sectional study was performed on a sample of 1993 children enrolled in 58 public preschools from Araçatuba City, São Paulo State, Brazil, during 2010. The exams were made using the decayed, missing, and filled teeth index (World Health Organization methodology) and detection criteria for non-cavitated lesions. A tested, self-administered questionnaire was sent to parents to obtain information about their socio-behavioral characteristics. Standardization was performed to verify concordance among examiners (kappa = 0.84). The prevalence of cavitated caries lesions was 41.2% (821), and the prevalence of both, cavitated and non-cavitated caries lesions, was 43.9% (875). The means ± standard deviations of the decayed, missing, and filled teeth index for children aged 4, 5, and 6 years were 1.18 ± 2.45, 1.65 ± 2.67, and 1.73 ± 2.77, respectively. Caries were significantly more prevalent in children from families with low incomes and low educational levels. The presence of dental caries was associated with access to dental services (p < 0.05). The associations between both, cavitated and non-cavitated dental caries lesions, and the frequency of oral hygiene were statistically significant. The prevalence of dental caries in preschoolers was strongly associated with factors related to the children's parents. Therefore, information about parents' socio-economic status, behaviors, and attitudes in relation to oral health should be considered when planning prevention and educational programs for the oral health of preschool children.

Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Caregivers in Relation to Oral Health of Preschool Children

Objective: To assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices of caregivers in Kuwait in relation to the oral health of preschool children. Subjects and Methods: Questionnaires with multiple-choice questions were distributed to 334 caregivers of children under the age of 6 years attending vaccination centers in Kuwait. For each question, one of the multiple-choice answers was consistent with the consensus in the pediatric dental literature in relation to early childhood caries prevention, and was considered to be correct. The χ² test, independent t test, ANOVA, and stepwise linear regression were used to assess the associations between the variables in question and p ≤ 0.05 was accepted as statistically significant. Results: Of the 334 participants, 234 (70%) were between 20 and 40 years of age with a high school diploma or higher degree and had between 2 and 5 children. The mean knowledge score was 4.68 ± 1.87, the mean attitude score was 4.34 ± 0.88 and the mean practice score was 2.45 ± 0.99. Major weaknesses were reported in infant oral health-related concepts. Mothers had better knowledge than other caregivers (p < 0.001). Higher education was significantly associated with better knowledge (p = 0.003) and better practices (p = 0.017). In addition, knowledge, attitude and level of education were positively and significantly associated with practices (p < 0.005). Conclusions: Our study showed that caregivers had weak knowledge and practice in relation to the oral health of preschool children. Mothers and caregivers with higher education had better knowledge and practices. Education and attitude appeared to be favorable indicators of the caregivers’ practices with regard to the oral health of their preschool children.

Child and family health nurses' experiences of oral health of preschool children: a qualitative approach

The objective of this study was to explore Child and Family Health Nurses' work-related experiences of dental disease in young children. Child and Family Health Nurses (n = 21) who recruited new mothers to an ongoing birth cohort study that began in South Western Sydney, Australia were invited to take part in a qualitative study. A semi-structured, in-depth interview technique was used to explore their experiences of preschool child oral health and how this affects their working lives. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using a thematic analysis. The nurses considered dental caries to be a significant health issue for young children and their families. They thought that the burden of dental disease in preschool children was underestimated in disadvantaged and multicultural populations. In addition, they reported that parents were often unaware of the disease process and were ignorant of the relationship between bottle feeding and dental caries. Once the parents were informed about their child's poor oral health, they had feelings of anger, despair, and guilt. This study highlights that oral health problems are a significant segment of the child health problems identified by nurses in their daily work. The nurses perceived the problem of dental caries to be one of a lack of parental knowledge, and families should be educated not only on "what" but also on "how" to feed their children. The primary healthcare team should work collaboratively to educate families in a culturally appropriate way.

Knowledge, attitude and practices towards primary dentition among the mothers of 3-5 year old pre-school children in Bangalore city

Introduction: Oral health of pre-school children determines the oral health status of the future generations and it is dependent on knowledge, attitude and practices toward primary dentition among the parents of the pre-school children. Objective: To assess and compare the knowledge, attitude and practices towards primary dentition among the mothers of 3-5 year old anganwadi and play home children in Bangalore city. Methodology: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted among 1000 mothers of 3-5 year old pre-school children, 500 from anganwadi centers and 500 from play homes of Bangalore city. Data was collected through an interview, using a structured proforma. Results: Among the anganwadi mothers, 98.4% had poor knowledge, 49.0% exhibited fair attitude and 97.0% were following poor practices towards the primary dentition of their preschool children, where as none of them in this group neither had good knowledge nor followed good practices. Among the play home mothers, 79.8% had poor knowledge, 74.0% were following poor practices towards primary dentition, 1.0% had good knowledge and only 0.8% were following good practices, 44.8% and 42.6% mothers exhibited fair and good attitude towards primary dentition respectively. Conclusion: Even though attitude of the mothers from both the groups was found to be fair enough, their level of knowledge was low and practices followed towards primary dentition were found to be poor.