Oral Health Of Young Children Research Articles

영유아를 둔 부모의 자녀 구강건강에 대한 중요도 인식과 실행수준

Purpose: This study was conducted to suggest implications for oral health education for young children by examining the recognition of the importance of young children's oral health and the level of implementation among parents of recognition. Method: A survey was conducted on 320 parents of young children in Region C from July 10 to July 28, 2023. A total of 293 questionnaires were used in the final analysis. The collected data were conducted to frequency analysis, IPA analysis using IBM SPSS Statistics 25.0 Results: First, the question with the highest recognition of the importance of oral health care for children among parents of young children was ‘If a child says their teeth hurt, they receive dental treatment quickly. The item with the highest level of implementation was ‘When purchasing a toothbrush, purchase a children’s toothbrush that matches the size of child’s teeth.’ Second, the question with the highest recognition of the importance of oral health education for children among parents of young children was ‘Instructing children to brush their teeth, tongue, and gums when brushing their teeth.’ The question with the highest level of implementation was ‘Educate child to eat foods that are beneficial to dental health.’ Conclusions: There is a need to improve parents' level of practice regarding oral health of young children, including proper brushing of teeth, oral check-ups, and use of oral products. Nutrition education, oral health and safety parent education, and early childhood teacher retraining are requested.

Applying Social Practice Theory to Explore Australian Preschool Children's Oral Health.

Despite substantial research and provision of dental care, significant morbidity remains for children's oral health. Guided by social practice theory (SPT), this research moves away from the often-ineffective focus on changing individual behavior to rethinking the centrality of the social world in promoting or undermining oral health outcomes. We define social practice as a routinized relational activity linking and integrating certain elements (competence, materials, and meanings) into the performance of a practice that is reproduced across time and space. To investigate oral health in preschool children in Perth, Western Australia, using social practice theory. With no definitive methodology for investigating SPT, we chose focused ethnography as a problem-focused, context-specific approach using mainly interviews to investigate participants' experience caring for their children's oral health. The focus of analysis was the practice of oral health care, not individual behavior, where themes identified from participants' transcripts were organized into categories of elements and performance. Eleven parents, all of whom were married or partnered, were interviewed in 2021. Findings identified social practices relevant to oral health within parenting and family relations linked to routine daily activities, including shopping, consumption of food and beverages, and toothbrushing. Oral health literacy was reflected in integrating competence, materials, and meanings into performing oral health care, notably preferences for children to drink water over sugary beverages and information often being sourced from social media and mothers' groups rather than health providers. Focusing on social practices as the unit of analysis offers a more layered understanding of elements in young children's oral health care that can indicate where the problem may lie. Findings provide an opportunity to consider future research and policy directions in children's oral health. Examining social practices related to young children's oral health care identifies parents/carers' knowledge about, for example, toothbrushing, the resources required, and why toothbrushing is important. Analyzing these separate elements can reveal both enablers and barriers to oral health care. This provides researchers, clinicians and policymakers an opportunity to focus on not changing individual behavior but understanding how social context impacts parents/carers' capacity to make optimum decisions around young children's oral health.

Relationship between parental adverse childhood experiences and the prevalence of early childhood caries.

The aim of this study was to examine the behavioural health conditions associated with parents' retrospective adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) scores and their children's early childhood caries (ECC) in parent-child dyads. Parents with children younger than 72 months were included in the study. A relational screening model was used. Interaction among ACEs, ECC, nutritional habits and oral hygiene habits were evaluated. Chi-square tests and t-tests were used in the study. Multiple variables were evaluated using the artificial neural network (ANN) model. The mean age of the 535 children included in the study was 46.5 months, and 52% were female. Using the ANN model, there was a statistically significant relationship between the educational status of the mothers in both the ECC and severe ECC (S-ECC) groups and the socioeconomic status of the family (p < 0.05). If the number of snacks consumed daily was three or more, the risk of ECC was statistically significantly higher (chi-square test p = 0.034). The parents' ACEs scores had an impact on both ECC and S-ECC formation (p = 0.001, t-test). The higher the ACEs score, the higher the risk of S-ECC. The mean ACEs scores of the parents were also significantly higher in both the ECC and S-ECC groups compared to those of the parents of children without dental caries (p = 0.001, t-test). It was calculated that ACEs scores were effective at a rate of 18.2% on ECC (p = 0.045, ANN). The ACEs scores of parents have an impact on the oral health of young children and ECC/S-ECC formation. The long-term effects of parental ACEs are reflected in their children's oral health. Therefore, reducing the psychosocial determinants ACEs and providing parental support may help in overcoming barriers to the well-being of young children and may facilitate better oral health.

Understanding parental perspectives on young children's oral health (≤ 4 years) growing up in a disadvantaged neighbourhood of Amsterdam, the Netherlands: an exploratory study.

Families' understanding towards oral health problems among young children is poorly studied. More insight into parents' experiences, especially of those living in disadvantaged neighbourhoods, is needed to address persistent oral health inequalities. This qualitative study aims to explore parental perspectives on children's oral health (≤ 4 years) and the opportunities they see to improve children's oral health. Forty-seven mothers and five fathers with different migration backgrounds from a disadvantaged neighbourhood in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, participated in our study. Semi-structured interviews (n = 27), participant observations (n = 7) and one focus group discussion were conducted. A thematic data analysis was used. Parents describe their daily life with young children as busy, hectic and unpredictable. Parents seem to be most concerned about parenting. Mothers, in particular, feel fully responsible for raising their children and managing daily complexities. While most parents value their children's oral health, they all experience challenges. Parents find it hard to limit daily candy intake and to handle unwilling children during tooth brushing. They feel limited support for these issues from their household, social network and professionals. Parental struggles in children's oral health are complex and interrelated as they occur across family, societal, community and professional levels. Given the complex daily reality of families with young children, establishing and maintaining healthy oral health habits seems not at the top of parents' minds. They ask for advice in the upbringing of their children backed up by social support, increased attention to children's oral health within the community and professional assistance. Collaborating with parents as knowledgeable partners might be the first step in acting upon the endeavour to address oral health inequality among young children.

Community water fluoride cessation and rate of caries-related pediatric dental treatments under general anesthesia in Alberta, Canada.

This study examined the rate of caries-related dental treatments under general anesthesia (GA) in fluoridated and non-fluoridated communities in Alberta, Canada, between 2010 and 2019. This retrospective, population-based study included all children ( 12years of age) living in Calgary (non-fluoridated) and Edmonton (fluoridated) who underwent caries-related dental treatments under GA at publicly funded facilities. Demographics and dental data were extracted from health administrative databases for three time periods of 2010/11 (pre-cessation), 2014/15, and 2018/19 (post-cessation). Among 2659 children receiving caries-related treatments under GA, the mean (SD) and median (IQR) age were 4.8 (2.3) and 4 (3-6) years, respectively, and 65% resided in the non-fluoridated area. The analysis revealed that the cessation of water fluoridation was significantly associated with an increased rate of caries-related GA events per 10,000 children in both age groups (0-5 and 6-11years), with a more pronounced effect in 0-5-year-olds in non-fluoridated areas. The risk of dental treatments under GA was also positively associated with post-cessation time. Discontinuing water fluoridation appears to negatively affect young children's oral health, potentially leading to a significant increase in caries-related dental treatments under GA and oral health disparities in this pediatric population.

A Systematic Review of Parents' Knowledge of Children's Oral Health.

Young children's oral health is maintained mainly by adults' knowledge and attitude. This study evaluated parents' attitudes, actions, and knowledge regarding their children's dental health. We searched the electronic MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane, and PubMed databases. Additionally, each relevant article's and book's bibliography was thoroughly searched. Included were the phrases "Knowledge" [MeSH] ", Attitude" [MeSH] ", Parents" [MeSH] ", Children" [MeSH] "And Oral Health" [MeSH]. This review emphasizes the growing global interest in parents' contributions to children's dental health. It is necessary to raise awareness about the knowledge and significance of deciduous teeth, frequent dental appointments throughout society, and implement parental oral health education programs because parents need more awareness.

Assessing the Pediatricians' Role in Improving Young Children's Oral Health in Telangana State: A Cross-sectional Study.

Primary precautionary approaches for oral health is an essential tool concerning public health, as dental caries is one of the eminently prevailing chronic diseases among children across the globe. As pediatricians and pediatric healthcare professionals are more likely to encounter children when compared to general dentists, it is crucial for them to be acquainted with possible risk factors and diseases occurring in early childhood. Therefore, it is highly advocated to take necessary steps at an initial stage to help promote pragmatic results during childhood and succeeding adulthood phases. The pediatrician's attitude toward dental health and his dental screening, counseling, and referral practices. This was a cross-sectional study in the Hyderabad district, following area sampling on a sample of 200 child healthcare professionals, as calculated based on a pilot study. A definitive and validated questionnaire was used for the collection of data, and pediatric health professionals were approached in their workplaces. About 44.5% of pediatricians usually check teeth during routine tongue and throat examinations. Around 59.5% of them suspect cavities when the child looks undernourished. A total of >80% of them voted that oral health cannot be neglected, as it is an integral part of a child's general health and dental screening, and referral at regular intervals of time is their responsibility. Only 8.5% advised fluoridated toothpaste, whereas only 62.5% counseled parents on the dental ill effects of nighttime bottle-feeding and digit sucking. Although all the pediatricians had appropriate attitudes toward oral health, they were not put into action by many. Pediatricians play a vital role as potential partners in the oral health promotion of children and their families. A pediatric primary care provider's regular screening, counseling, and referral would help his/her patients in getting the right treatment done at the right time. Reddy SM, Shaik N, Pudi S, et al. Assessing the Pediatricians' Role in Improving Young Children's Oral Health in Telangana State: A Cross-sectional Study. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2022;15(5):591-595.

Promoting early childhood oral health and preventing early childhood caries on Instagram.

Early childhood caries (ECC) is prevalent worldwide. Oral health promotion effectively utilizes key messages to educate parents/caregivers and the public on how to prevent ECC. Instagram is one of the biggest social media platforms, and could be used to promote early childhood oral health. The purpose of this study was to determine if and how young children's oral health is promoted and supported on Instagram. This study used inductive content analysis to categorize, quantify, and interpret pictorial and textual data derived from Instagram posts containing the most commonly used ECC-related hashtags in their captions (determined by an extensive search through Instagram's search bar). A total of 1,071 images and 3,228 comments were analyzed based on 13 hashtags. The most common types of images were those of people (57.5%) and graphics/memes (37.8%). Most people were older children (32.5%) or adults (20.3%), and were White (19.6%) or Asian (18.5%). A majority of images had people posing (79.1%) in dental clinics (81.3%). Most graphics/memes were instructional/informational (76.3%). A total of 173 posts had substantial discussions that were positive/constructive in nature. The majority of discussions had at least one comment providing advice, tips, or explanations (79.8%), or had users requesting further information (73.4%). As more people engage with social media, health professionals should consider the potential for Instagram as a tool to promote early childhood oral health and to prevent ECC. Our study shows that many different users are providing and consuming content related to ECC. Targeted messaging, monitoring of content, and professional guidance could be beneficial to those seeking oral health information on this platform.

Maintaining and Improving the Oral Health of Young Children.

Oral health is an integral part of the overall health of children. Dental caries is a common and chronic disease process with significant short- and long-term consequences. The prevalence of dental caries remains greater than 40% among children 2 to 19 years of age. Although dental visits have increased in all age, race, and geographic categories in the United States, disparities continue to exist, and a significant portion of children have difficulty accessing dental care. As health care professionals responsible for the overall health of children, pediatricians frequently confront morbidity associated with dental caries. Because the youngest children visit the pediatrician more often than they visit the dentist, it is important that pediatricians be knowledgeable about the disease process of dental caries, prevention of disease, interventions to maintain and restore health, and the social determinants of children's oral health.

Oral Health Status and Practices, and Anthropometric Measurements of Preschool Children: Protocol for a Multi-African Country Survey.

BackgroundOral diseases are among the most prevalent conditions with significant impact on the growth and development of young children. Data are required to plan effectively for the management of early childhood caries (ECC) and other oral diseases in this age. There are currently very few African countries with updated and nationally representative data on ECC prevalence, and risk indicators and regional data on ECC and other oral diseases are scarce.ObjectiveWe aim to determine the oral health status and practices, dietary intake, and anthropometric measurements of preschool children in several African countries.MethodsA cross-sectional study will be conducted in several African countries using a standardized questionnaire and clinical examination for data collection from healthy preschool children in kindergartens and primary health care facilities. The clinical examination will assess ECC using the decayed, missing due to caries, and filled teeth (dmft) index according to the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria, dental erosion (using the Basic Erosive Wear Examination Index), deciduous molar hypomineralization (using the European Association of Paediatric Dentistry criteria), dental fluorosis (using Dean’s Index), oral hygiene status (using the Oral Hygiene Index Simplified), and oral mucosal lesions. Oral hygiene habits and dental visits will be assessed using the WHO child questionnaire, and dietary intake will be assessed using the Food and Agriculture Organization method. Anthropometric measurements will be obtained following the International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry standard protocol, and the children’s nutritional status will be assessed following the WHO child growth standards. To train and calibrate examiners, educational resources and electronic forms will be used to reach interexaminer and intraexaminer reliability with κ>0.6. Descriptive analysis will determine the prevalence of clinical conditions by age and sex. Bivariate analysis and multivariable regression will assess associations between the clinical conditions and sociodemographic factors, and oral health behaviors.ResultsData collection will begin after approvals and ethical clearance are obtained. The first stage will include 3 countries, namely Egypt, Nigeria, and South Africa, and collaborators from other African countries will join afterward.ConclusionsThis study will lay down the foundations for using validated tools to collect data on the oral health of young children in Africa, allowing researchers from different countries across Africa to collect standardized data on ECC and other oral conditions. This will facilitate comparisons and analysis of risk factors that might be unique to the African continent. The results will provide baseline data on the prevalence of oral diseases and enable planning to address the treatment needs of young African children and design programs to prevent oral diseases in the African continent.International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)PRR1-10.2196/33552

Health belief model for empowering parental toothbrushing and sugar intake control in reducing early childhood caries among young children\u2014study protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial

BackgroundIt has been recognized that oral health education for parents is critical for preventing early childhood caries (ECC). Few parents practiced caries prevention procedures for their children in daily life, though. A novel intervention scheme using mobile messages will be developed in this study under the framework of the health belief model (HBM). The objective of the present randomized clinical trial (RCT) is to evaluate the effectiveness of the new scheme in promoting oral health of young children by reducing dental caries.MethodsThis RCT will involve 26–36 child care centers or kindergartens with nursery classes (clusters) located in Hong Kong. A total of 518–628 child-parent dyads (child age 18–30 months) will be recruited and randomly allocated at the cluster level into the test or control group with a 1:1 ratio. For parents in the test group, the intervention will consist of a set of HBM-based text messages sent regularly in 48 weeks. A standard text message will be sent to the parents in the control group in the first week. The primary outcome will be dental caries measured by dmft/dmfs of the children after 2 years (around 4 years of age). The secondary outcomes will be toothbtushing and sugar intake.DiscussionHBM-based intervention via a low-cost text messaging vehicle may serve as a viable way to empower parents to establish proper oral health behaviors for their children and safeguard the oral health of children in Hong Kong.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.govNCT04665219. Registered on 11 December 2020.

Social practice theory: An innovative approach to considering preschool children's poor oral health.

Oral disease in early childhood is highly prevalent and costly and impacts on the child and family with significant societal costs. Current approaches have largely failed to improve young children's oral health. This paper proposes a different approach to conceptualize poor oral health in preschool children (0-5years) using social practices. Social practice theory offers an innovative perspective to understanding oral health by shifting emphasis away from the individual and onto how practical, social and material arrangements around the oral health of preschool children exist, change or become embedded in the social structures they inhabit. This novel approach contributes to the growing theoretical understanding in this area and has the potential to offer insights into the problem and ways it might be addressed.

How Do Mothers Living in Socially Deprived Communities Perceive Oral Health of Young Children? A Qualitative Study.

This qualitative study aims to explore and gain an in-depth understanding of the knowledge and perceptions of mothers living in Greater Western Sydney (GWS), one of Australia’s most socio-economically disadvantaged regions, regarding the factors that influence oral health of young children. Mother–child dyads (n = 45) were purposively selected from a population-based cohort study in GWS. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and subsequently analyzed using thematic analysis. Five main themes emerged from the interviews: (1) beliefs about child oral health and first set of teeth; (2) awareness and attitudes towards oral health services; (3) identification of caries risk and protective factors; (4) broader cultural and social class influences on childhood oral health practices; and (5) the influence of parental self-confidence, self-efficacy, and perceived control. Overall, mothers reported having limited knowledge and awareness on the importance of baby teeth, child’s first dental visit, and seeking oral health care. Oral health and preventative practices in children were reported to be influenced by past dental experiences, culture and social class, and parental factors. The empirical findings of this study bring our attention to the critical factors that influence child oral health and the opportunities for co-creating child oral health promotion by targeting mothers.

Impact of oral hygiene training to Anganwadi and Accredited Social Health Activist workers on oral health of young children in tribal regions of Rajasthan State, India.

Early childhood caries is one of the most widespread diseases affecting children in urban and rural India. Community health workers can bring about a quantum of change in improving the oral health in children. The aim of the study was to assess the impact of oral health training imparted to Anganwadi and accredited social health activist (ASHA) workers on improving the oral hygiene of 148 children aged 1-6 years. The preintervention followed by oral health training and postintervention assessment were done at three Anganwadi and ASHA centers of Rajasthan. The preintervention data included Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth/decayed, extracted, and filled teeth, oral hygiene indices (Oral Hygiene Index-Simplified [OHI-S] and Oral Hygiene Index Simplified-Modified [OHIS-M]), plaque index, and caries activity using Oratest. The oral health training consisted of PowerPoint presentations, video presentations, live demonstrations on brushing technique, rinsing, plaque disclosure, and flossing technique. They were enlightened on deleterious oral habits, emergency protocol on trauma, etc. The postintervention data included outcome measures consisting of oral hygiene indices (OHI-S and OHIS-M), plaque index, and Oratest after 2 months to evaluate the impact of training. The data were analyzed using Chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, independent t-test, paired t-test, and one-way analysis of variance test. There was a significant improvement in toothbrushing practices and rinsing (P < 0.05). There was a significant difference in debris index, calculus index, OHI-S/OHIS-M, plaque index, and Oratest after intervention (P < 0.05). Empowering Anganwadi and ASHA workers can be a feasible approach in India, where oral health is not a priority in primary health care as yet.

Study of Mothers’ and Infants’ Life Events Affecting Oral Health (SMILE) birth cohort study: cohort profile

PurposeThe long-term goal of the Study of Mothers’ and Infants’ Life Events Affecting Oral Health (SMILE) birth cohort study is to identify and evaluate the relative importance and timing of...

Knowledge, attitudes and behaviour towards preventive oral care in early childhood among paediatricians in Trinidad and Tobago: findings of a national survey

To determine paediatrician's knowledge and attitudes about oral health in Trinidad and Tobago. A pre-tested questionnaire was sent out via survey monkey to 70 out of 75 paediatricians registered with the Medical Board of Trinidad and for whom email addresses were available. Hard copies of the questionnaires were delivered to the paediatric departments of the Eric Williams Medical Sciences complex. Paediatricians that were unable to complete the questionnaire online were asked to complete hard copies. Forty-nine paediatricians responded, yielding a response rate of 70%. Most (95.9%) of the participants had positive views about routine dental visits, but yet only 28.6% advised a first dental visit between the ages 6 months and 1 year. Although the majority (91.8%) had positive views on fluoride supplementation, knowledge of appropriate fluoride dosages was not in keeping with current guidelines. Mixed views on the role of breastfeeding as a risk factor for developing decay were seen among respondents; 63.3% of the paediatricians indicated that they did not receive any education on the oral health of young children during their specialty training, and most felt they required additional training in this area. Paediatricians in Trinidad and Tobago demonstrated positive attitudes toward oral health. However, their knowledge with respect to oral disease prevention including the use of fluoride, and timing of the first dental visit appear to be lacking. Paediatricians may benefit from continuing education with regards to the oral health of children.

Oral hygiene knowledge and practices among mothers of 3- to 6-Year-old preschool children visiting anganwadis of Bangalore City

Background: Children under the age of 6 years spend most of their time with their parents and guardians, especially mothers, even when they attend preschool or nurseries. It has been found that young children's oral health maintenance and outcomes are influenced by their parent's knowledge and beliefs. Mothers play a vital role in maintaining their children's oral hygiene. Aim: The aim of this study was done to assess the knowledge and practice of oral hygiene among mothers of 3- to 6-year-old preschool children visiting the anganwadis of Bangalore city. Materials and Methods: Mothers of children aged 3–6 years visiting various anganwadis were invited to participate in the study. The sample comprised of 200 mothers through simple random sampling. A pretested questionnaire covering sociodemographic details, importance of brushing deciduous teeth, and oral hygiene practices was distributed to mothers who were willing to participate. Results: In the present study, majority of mothers visiting the anganwadi had only primary school education (79%). About 79.4% of mothers did not have any knowledge regarding the time of eruption of their child's deciduous teeth, 63.8% of mothers did not know the importance of brushing their child's deciduous teeth, and 84.3% mothers did not know that oral diseases can affect general health. Conclusion: The result of the present study showed that the oral health knowledge among the mothers visiting the anganwadis was poor. Awareness programs targeting expectant mothers visiting anganwadis should be employed by training the anganwadi teachers, and importance of primary teeth should be emphasized in different oral health education programs

Disparities in the Quality of Pediatric Dental Care: New Research and Needed Changes

AbstractIn the United States, there are significant disparities in the oral health of children from families with high and low socioeconomic status and between majority and minority children. Extant research on these health differences has focused predominately on caregiver knowledge, beliefs, and practices as well as structural barriers such as Medicaid coverage, dentist availability, and transportation issues. Little attention has been paid to the quality of care families experience when taking their child to the dentist or the ways in which dental schools train their students to work with young children. This policy report describes some of the experiences of low‐income and ethnically diverse young children and their parents in dental clinics and highlights some of the weaknesses of dental training. We contend that increasing the standards for dental training and practice are necessary for improving young children's oral health and reducing these disparities.

Impact of Medicaid Policy on the Oral Health of Publicly Insured Children.

Objective Fluoride varnish (FV) applications among non-dentist primary care providers has increased due to state Medicaid policies. In this study we examine the impact of FV policies on the oral health of publicly insured children aged 2-6years old. Methods Using three waves of the National Survey of Children's Health (2003, 2007, 2011/12), we used a logistic regression model with state and year fixed effects, adjusting for relevant child characteristics, to examine the association between years since a state implemented a FV policy and the odds of a publicly insured child having very good or excellent teeth. We compared children with public insurance in states with FV policies to children with public insurance in states without FV policies, controlling for the same difference among children with private insurance who were unlikely to be affected by Medicaid FV policies. Results Among 68,890 children aged 2-6 years, 38% had public insurance. Compared to privately insured children, publicly insured children had significantly lower odds of having very good or excellent teeth [odds ratio (OR) 0.70, 95% CI 0.62-0.81]. Publicly insured children in states with FV policies implemented for four or more years had significantly greater odds of having very good or excellent teeth (OR 1.28, 95% CI 1.03-1.60) compared to publicly insured children in states without FV policies. Conclusions for Practice State policies supporting non-dental primary care providers application of FV were associated with improvements in oral health for young children with public insurance.

Early Childhood Caries Among a Population of Nursery-school Children from an Area with Suboptimal Fluoride Levels in Drinking Water.

To evaluate caries among nursery-school children. Clinical examination was carried out in 1123 children (568 girls and 555 boys), aged 6-47 months, who attended 33 nursery schools located in a large city (Poznan, Poland). The research was done by experienced dentists in accordance with the criteria set by the World Health Organization for epidemiological studies. The obtained data determined the frequency of caries and the number and surfaces of teeth with carious lesions. In Poznan, drinking water is not artificially fluoridated. The prevalence of caries in the general population was 7.21%. The mean number of teeth affected by caries in the whole population was 0.26 (0.24 for girls and 0.28 for boys), whereas the mean number of tooth surfaces affected by caries was 0.37 (0.32 and 0.41, respectively). In the maxilla, most of the carious lesions were located in the incisors; in contrast, in the mandible, they were in the molars. Only 3 of the examined children had prior fillings. Currently, preventive and curative dental care for nursery-school-age children is unsatisfactory. The results obtained indicate the need for monitoring the oral health of young children.