Perception Of Oral Health Care Research Articles

The perceptions of palliative care medical practitioners towards oral health: A descriptive qualitative study

Background: Oral health problems are common, but often overlooked, among people receiving palliative care. Aim: To better understand how oral health can be addressed in this population, this study aimed to explore the perceptions of oral health care among medical practitioners who provide palliative care to inform the development of a palliative oral health care program. Design: A descriptive qualitative design was adopted. Setting/participants: A single focus group was conducted with 18 medical practitioners at a palliative care facility in Sydney, Australia. All participants had experience providing palliative care services to clients. The focus group was audio recorded, transcribed and thematically analysed. Results: The results from the inductive thematic analysis identified four themes. The themes highlighted that participants were aware of the oral health needs of people receiving palliative care; however, they also reflected on the complexity in delivering oral health care across the healthcare settings, as well as the challenges around cost, lack of appropriate dental referral pathways, time constraints and limited awareness. Participants also provided recommendations to improve the delivery of oral health care to individuals receiving palliative care. Conclusions: To improve the provision of oral health care in this population, this study highlighted the need for oral health training across the multidisciplinary team, standardised screening assessments and referrals, a collective responsibility across the board and exploring the potential for teledentistry to support oral health care provision.

Awareness, Attitudes, and Perceptions of Oral Healthcare among First Year Dental, Medical, and Nursing Students.

It has been reported that poor oral health can worsen general health conditions. Good collaboration between health professionals is important to provide proper oral healthcare. Thus, there is a need for oral healthcare interprofessional education (IPE). This study aimed to determine the baseline level of awareness, attitudes, and perceptions of oral healthcare among first-year students of dentistry, medicine, and nursing at Universitas Indonesia. A cross-sectional descriptive analytical study using a previously published questionnaire was conducted involving 442 students, consisting of dental students (DS), medical students (MS), and nursing students (NS) in Universitas Indonesia. Most students have shown good oral healthcare awareness, attitudes, and perception with no statistically significant difference between the groups (p < 0.05). The majority of the students did not perceive that (1) geriatric and nursing knowledge are required to practice oral care, (2) oral healthcare should be provided in cancer hospitals, and (3) oral healthcare can prevent cardiovascular disease and improve anorexia. This study showed that there were aspects of oral healthcare that should be improved in all student groups. Thus, oral healthcare IPE should be given to all students working in healthcare to develop knowledge and interprofessional collaboration in oral healthcare.

COVID-19 and changes in dental practices in the Brazilian Public Health System: perception of the oral health team.

The aim of this study was to verify the perception of the oral health team regarding work safety and aspects related to changes in dental practices during the COVID-19 pandemic. A descriptive, exploratory, quantitative, and qualitative cross-sectional study was conducted using an electronic questionnaire sent via email to health professionals (n = 197) affiliated with the Brazilian Public Health System (SUS), from December 2020 to September 2021, in a municipality located in the northeast of the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The variables of interest were sociodemographic characteristics and those related to the professionals' perception of oral health care during the pandemic and its impact on these workers' occupational safety. Descriptive statistics were performed, and the absolute and relative frequencies of quantitative variables were calculated, whereas lexical analysis was performed for textual content using the descending hierarchical classification (CHD). Out of the total sample, elective and urgent/emergency care was provided by 58.95% (n = 56); physical barriers were absent between the teams in 54.74% (n = 52); minimally invasive techniques were applied in 71.58% (n = 68); personal protective equipment (PPE) was replaced in 81.05% (n = 77) between appointments; and occupational safety was reported by 49.47% (n = 47). Textual analysis showed a decrease in appointments and consultations, with a longer interval between appointments. The professionals noticed changes in dental practices during the pandemic, mainly regarding the use of PPE, the type of treatment performed, the number of treated patients, and the greater time interval between consultations. The physical infrastructure of health units and the availability of PPE to patients needed some adjustments. A significant number of workers felt safe in providing dental care during the pandemic.

A Concept Analysis of Oral Health Behavior Among Health Sciences Students at Majmaah University

Background and Aims: Oral health care is often overlooked as part of a healthy lifestyle. The state of one’s dental or oral health is determined by a variety of factors, including personal knowledge, traits, actions, and perceptions. It is crucial to be aware of health practices for maintaining standard oral health based on patients’ perceptions of oral health care. The goal of this study was to determine how well health sciences students at Majmaah University in Saudi Arabia knew about oral hygiene. Methods: This is a cross sectional study and the samples were obtained from health sciences students at Majmaah university in the period of October 2019 to April 2020. To know oral health knowledge, attitude, habits, and self-opinion of one’s own dental appearance, a self-structured questionnaire was employed. SPSS software was used to examine the data. Results: 36.1% of students are of the opinion that a regular visit to dentist is necessary. 91.6% of students think that as with any part of the body, teeth require care. 50% of female students were having a good knowledge about the oral health while were 12.9% of male were having a good knowledge. Most of dental students were having good knowledge (61.1%) while medical students was having moderate knowledge (43%) and the applied science students (75%) were having poor knowledge. (50.7%) of the students are not afraid from dental instrument and procedures. Also (30.8%) of the students prefer taking sedative while they go to dentist. 54.2% are happy with their tooth shape, and 52.4% are happy with their tooth color and 60.8% like their smile. Conclusions: Dental students have a greater level of oral health awareness than medical and applied science students, according to the findings of this study. This could be because they include a similar theme on oral health in their curriculum, whereas these specialist themes may not be there in other programs.

A pilot health education intervention to improve oral health among females in childbearing age

ABSTRACT Low awareness regarding the importance of oral health care during pregnancy, can limit the prevalence of oral health care among pregnant women. Awareness of the importance of oral health care starts even before pregnancy. The present study aimed to measure the effectiveness of a pilot oral health education intervention in changing oral health-related behavioral intentions, particularly perceptions of oral health care during pregnancy. A quasi-experimental study comprised a pretest–posttest was conducted with 46 female university students. The education program was based on the theory of planned behaviors and comprised mini lectures. A statistically significant positive changes were found in knowledge, attitude, and intention, while subjective norms significantly changed negatively; perceived behavioral control did not significantly change. Although not all elements of the Theory of Planned Behaviour positively changed the participants’ intention to seek oral health care increased greatly. Therefore, there is a need of a community-based health promotion programme targeting preventive oral health care among women of childbearing age using theory-based education.

Patient perceptions of oral health care following stroke: a qualitative study

BackgroundStroke is a serious cerebrovascular disease and is one of the world’s leading causes of disability. Maintaining good oral health is a challenge among those hospitalised after stroke. A multidisciplinary approach to oral care involving non-dental professionals can be beneficial in improving oral health outcomes for patients. The aim of this study was to understand the perceptions of stroke survivors regarding oral healthcare across acute and rehabilitation settings.MethodsA descriptive qualitative approach was used. Face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted. A framework analysis was employed to analyse the data. Patients who had recently experienced a stroke were purposively recruited across both acute and rehabilitation settings, at two metropolitan hospitals in Sydney, Australia. In total, 11 patients were interviewed.ResultsAlthough participants recognised the importance of oral health, few understood the link between oral and general health. Regular oral hygiene practices varied since having stroke, with a few receiving oral care assistance from nurses. Time, cost and lack of information were some barriers to accessing dental services, while supportive measures such as coordination of oral care, financial subsidy and nurse assistance were strategies proposed to support oral care practices amongst stroke survivors.ConclusionsThere is scope to improve current models of oral care in stroke. While stroke survivors understand the importance of oral care, an integrated oral health model with a multidisciplinary approach could improve health outcomes.

Perceptions of Two Older Adults Regarding the Factors and Barriers that Influence their Oral Health Care: A Case Study

This paper presents the results of a case study about the perceptions of oral health care, factors that influenced current oral health, and barriers to dental attention of two older adults; the study was conducted by researchers from a hospital-school of dentistry at a public university in Mexico. Two adults aged 64 and 70 years participated in this study. First, the oral health status was clinically evaluated using the Decayed/Missing/Filled/Teeth (DMFT) Index. A semi-structured interview was then conducted to learn about the perceptions of oral health care. Thematic content analysis was used to explore the data obtained using the ATLAS.ti software 7.0 version. Four main themes and their subthemes were developed. The main finding of the case study was that oral health was directly and strongly associated with the impact that it has on a participant's life, especially in the functional field of chewing. Also, the participants recognized the importance of having good oral health and see it as a necessity for living. Aspects that influenced the current status of oral health were mainly the care received during their childhood, as well as the previous dental beliefs and treatments. Finally, some of the perceived barriers to dental care treatment were lack of time, finances, and education. These findings challenge professionals to be more sensitive to past and current experiences of older adults at the time of receiving dental care. Knowing their perceptions can support health professionals to strengthen patients’ commitment to prioritizing oral health care needs.

Barriers to the use of dental services by children in Lebanon and association with parental perception of oral health care.

Oral health is important to general health but use of dental services varies considerably, particularly for children. We aimed to determine factors associated with parents' use of dental services for their children in Lebanon, and their perception of dental care relative to medical care. A convenience sample of public and private schools in Beirut was selected between January and May 2013. Parents of children in grades 2-6 (aged 7-12 years) were invited to complete a questionnaire covering socioeconomic characteristics and use of dental services. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the relationship between use of dental services, and parents' socioeconomic characteristics and awareness and perceptions of dental services. The parents of 316 children returned the questionnaire. Most children (72.8%) had been taken to the dentist in the past year, mainly for emergency care. Most parents (78.2%) considered dental care as important as or more important than medical care, and 89.9% were willing to contribute to dental insurance. Use of dental services was significantly associated with: older age of the parent (odds ratio, OR = 1.04; 95% confidence interval, CI: 1.02-1.06); awareness of dental care centres offering affordable treatment (OR = 3.18; 95% CI: 1.52-6.68); and children being in private schools (OR = 2.00, 95% CI: 1.08-3.95). It was negatively associated with > 4 children in the family compared with 1 child (OR = 0.18; 95% CI: 0.04-0.81). Barriers to dental care for children were mostly related to economic factors.

Awareness and Perception of Oral Health Care in Infants and Children among Pediatricians in Srinagar City

Introduction: Parents frequently seek Paediatricians supervision during normal growth and development of their children. The repeated contact between patients and paediatricians renders an ideal prospect for Paediatricians to determine risks associated with oral health and enlighten parents on counselling and preventive treatment modalities during development phases. The study was thus aimed to gather information and assess knowledge and attitude of the Paediatricians from Srinagar city regarding oral health in infants and children. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was organized between January 2019 and May 2019 to assess Paediatricians awareness regarding dental health and their attitudes in relation to oral health. This study was performed among 50 randomly selected Paediatricians of Srinagar city. Data was collected and subjected to descriptive analysis. Results: Majority of the Paediatricians were familiar of the speciality of pediatric dentistry, the significance of milk teeth and considered the importance of periodic dental visits for children. It was also revealed that most of the Paediatricians showed significantly less awareness (P&lt;0.05) of the first dental visit, early childhood caries, fissure sealants, importance of fluoride and role of medicated syrups in promoting dental caries. Conclusion: This survey reveals that Paediatricians strongly believed in having an active role in promoting oral health. Dental training should be incorporated in curriculum during medical training and Paediatricians need to regularly rejuvenate themselves on recent advancements and updates related to infant oral health which can be transmitted to their patients.

Qualitative Study on Perception of Antenatal Mothers towards Oral Health Care: In-depth interview

Introduction: Attending regular dental check-up is very important to pregnant women. However, many women do not utilize oral healthcare services during the antenatal period. It had been reported in Health Information Management System report (MOH, 2007) that the attendance of antenatal mothers to dental clinic were unsatisfactory. Therefore, the aim of this research was to explore the perception of antenatal mothers towards oral health care. Materials and Methods: In-depth interviews were carried out with a convenience sampling of 20 antenatal mothers across three government health clinics in Selangor, Malaysia. The interview using guided questions which explored participant’s oral health knowledge, attitude and oral health practice. All interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed by thematic analysis. The interviews were carried out until the saturation of information were achieved. Results: The main themes emerging from the data related to low oral health knowledge, poor attitude and oral health practices during pregnancy. Although all participants have basic knowledge of dental caries development, however, many of them unaware of the significance of preventive dental visits during pregnancy. Poor attitudes and oral health practices among antenatal mothers in this study were due to they had not received the necessary oral health information. Conclusion: Antenatal mother’s perception of oral health care crucially impacts on oral health status, continuity of utilization of oral healthcare services and hence pregnancy outcome. Their views provided a baseline information for planning and formulating appropriate oral health education and promotion strategies.

Factors associated with the use of dental health services

This paper seeks to analyze the factors associated with the use of dental health services (UDHS) by adults in the city of Corrientes, Argentina. A cross-sectional study was conducted. Information concerning the study variables was collected via a home survey. The sample size was established with a 95% confidence interval level (381 individuals). A simple random sampling design was used, which was complemented with a non-probability quota sampling. The data was analyzed using SPSS version 21.0 and Epidat version 3.1 softwares. Socio-economic level, dental health coverage, perception of oral health care, perception of oral health, knowledge about oral health, and oral hygiene habits were significantly associated with the UDHS over the last twelve months. These same factors, excluding dental health coverage and knowledge about oral health, were associated with the UDHS for routine dental check-ups. Measures should be implemented to increase the UDHS for prevention purposes in men and women of all socio-economic levels, particularly in less-privileged individuals.

Administrators' Perceptions of Oral Health Care and Cancer Screening in Long-Term Care Nursing Facilities.

An estimated 1.7 million adults in the United States more than the age of 65 reside in long-term care nursing facilities (LTCNFs), and only 17% of them receive dental care. More than 83% of LTCNF residents require assistance with oral care. Adequate dental care is a preventative behavior for oral cancer. Adults more than age 65 will account for 60% of oral cancer-related deaths, despite an 80% cure rate for early diagnosis. This study sought to expand knowledge of the perceived benefits, barriers, and ability to perform or provide for oral health care and oral cancer screening as reported by Administrators and Directors of Nursing in LTCNFs. Findings indicate that competing demands for resources make oral health a low priority issue and low knowledge about oral cancer risk among nursing home residents, family members, and staff is a barrier. Potential interventions suggested by participants are discussed.

Oral Health Education for Medical Students: Malaysian and Australian Students' Perceptions of Educational Experience and Needs.

Education in oral health is important to prepare future medical professionals for collaborative roles in maintaining patients' oral health, an important component of general health and well-being. The aims of this study were to determine the perceptions of medical students in Malaysia and Australia of the quality of their training in oral health care and their perceptions of their professional role in maintaining the oral health of their patients. A survey was administered in the classroom with final-year Malaysian (n=527; response rate=79.3%) and Australian (n=455; response rate: 60%) medical students at selected institutions in those countries. In the results, most of these medical students reported encountering patients with oral health conditions including ulcers, halitosis, and edentulism. A majority in both countries reported believing they should advise patients to obtain regular dental check-ups and eat a healthy diet, although they reported feeling less than comfortable in managing emergency dental cases. A high percentage reported they received a good education in smoking cessation but not in managing dental trauma, detecting cancerous lesions, or providing dietary advice in oral disease prevention. They expressed support for inclusion of oral health education in medical curricula. These students' experience with and perceptions of oral health care provide valuable information for medical curriculum development in these two countries as well as increasing understanding of this aspect of interprofessional education and practice now in development around the world.

Evaluating awareness regarding oral hygiene practices and exploring gender differences among patients attending for oral prophylaxis.

Background:Oral hygiene is intimated in health of all parts of the body including oral cavity. The understanding of actual practices in keeping the oral heath at standard based on patient's perceptions of oral health care is vital. Understanding the effect of gender on oral health would facilitate the development of successful attitude and behavior modification approach towards sustainable oral health.Purpose of Study:To evaluate awareness regarding oral hygiene practices and exploring gender differences among patients attending for oral prophylaxis.Materials and Methods:A survey was conducted among 250 patients attending the department of periodontology, Maulana Azad institute of dental sciences for oral prophylaxis. A structured questionnaire was used to collect information regarding practices and perception about oral hygiene.Results:Majority of the patients (60.4%) felt that oral hygiene is mandatory for overall health of the body. The use of toothpaste and toothbrush (83.6%) was the most preferred cleaning aid among the study population in the present study. The major constraint for avoiding dental examination was no felt need (41.2%) followed by cost of dental treatment (26.8%) and time constraints (24.0%).Conclusions:Professional plaque removal and regular follow-up combined with oral hygiene instructions to the patients can minimize the level of gingival inflammation and swelling. The poor resources for dental care, common malpractices and nonavailability of professional care are the main barriers in seeking optimum oral hygiene.

Oral health of institutionalised elderly: a qualitative study of health caregivers’ perceptions in Brazil

The aim of this study was to qualitatively explore caregivers' perceptions of oral health care and factors influencing their work in a public long-term care institution for the elderly in Goiania, Brazil. Data were collected from a sample of 10 caregivers using personal in-depth interviews and observation. Caregivers were mainly nurses' aides without training in oral health care. Oral health was associated with access to dental treatment, oral hygiene and use of dentures. Edentulousness, use of inappropriate dentures and appetite loss were perceived as negative images. Procedures used for oral hygiene were toothbrushing, mouth cleaning with a gauze and using a mouthwash. Conflicting priorities in routine care, lack of caregivers' knowledge and the co-operation of the elderly were the main obstacles to satisfactory oral care. Oral health care of the elderly was perceived as a burden by caregivers, and did not follow a standard protocol. Caregivers' knowledge and perceptions reinforce the need for education and training in oral health issues.

Perceptions of oral health adequacy and access in Michigan nursing facilities

To determine practices and perceived access barriers (facility resources, attitudes and professional dental involvement) related to oral health by surveying directors of nursing (DONs) in Michigan nursing homes (NHs). DONs are crucial to NH practice and policy, so understanding their perceptions of oral health care is vital. A 27-item questionnaire exploring aspects of oral health was mailed to all 402 Michigan NH. Descriptive statistics were calculated for response items. Facility response rate was 32% (n = 129). Sixty-three per cent of facilities had a written dental care plan primarily co-ordinated by nursing staff and social workers. Stationary dental equipment was available in 3% of facilities. Thirty-eight per cent stated an examination by a dentist was provided to new residents. Seventy-five per cent of residents identified as needing dental treatment were likely to receive it. Of the 28% of residents receiving dental treatment beyond an examination in the past year, 28% received emergent care. Over 50% of responding DONs indicated satisfaction with how oral hygiene needs were met in their facilities. The greatest perceived barriers were willingness of general and specialty dentists to treat residents at the nursing facility and/or their private offices as well as financial concerns of the resident and/or family. Generally, greater resources were available in urban facilities, but substantial barriers to care were uniformly perceived. Oral health policies and practices within Michigan NH vary, as measured by resources, attitudes, and the availability of professional care. Dental involvement in policy creation, provision of consultation, and service is limited.