International Journal of Clinical Pediatric Dentistry

Register      Login

VOLUME 15 , ISSUE 4 ( July-August, 2022 ) > List of Articles

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Association between Demographic Factors Parental Oral Health Knowledge and their Influences on the Dietary and Oral Hygiene Practices followed by Parents in Children of 2–6 Years in Buraidah City Saudi Arabia: A Pilot Study

Daniya I Al Mejmaj, Renad M Alrashidi

Keywords : Dental checkup, Dietary habits, Parental knowledge, Parental practices, Oral health

Citation Information : Al Mejmaj DI, Alrashidi RM. Association between Demographic Factors Parental Oral Health Knowledge and their Influences on the Dietary and Oral Hygiene Practices followed by Parents in Children of 2–6 Years in Buraidah City Saudi Arabia: A Pilot Study. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2022; 15 (4):407-411.

DOI: 10.5005/jp-journals-10005-2409

License: CC BY-NC 4.0

Published Online: 17-12-2022

Copyright Statement:  Copyright © 2022; The Author(s).


Abstract

Background: Preschool children's oral hygiene maintenance is greatly prejudiced by their parent's knowledge and understanding regarding oral health. When parents are devoid of the basic awareness of caries-associated factors, the significance of primary teeth, and oral healthcare, it is challenging to program disease prevention strategies and apply them effectively. Aims and objectives: This pilot study aimed to assess the knowledge regarding oral health, its effects, and the influence of demographic values on the parental practices among the parents of 2–6-year-old children by using a self-administered pretested questionnaire. Materials and methods: The questionnaire was randomly distributed among parents of 2–6-year-old children who visited Buraidah Central Hospital. The sample size taken for this pilot study was 1,000. The questionnaire included 26 questions associated with the parent's knowledge about the oral health of the child, hygiene maintenance, and dietary habits. The collected data was analyzed using SPSS software. Results: In the present research, a total of 1,000 parents participated in the study. It was observed that parental knowledge and hygiene practices increased as the educational status increased. It was also observed that as the number of children decreased in the family, the dietary practices and hygiene practices improved. All these observations were found to be statistically significant (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Parent's education and knowledge reflect in their child's development of healthy practices. Thus the parents need to know about oral health, which can be put into practice in their children. Clinical significance: This research helps us to understand the significance of parental knowledge and education in the oral health practices and maintenance among the children inculcated by parents, which can help in bringing down the oral health diseases in children in future.


HTML PDF Share
  1. Mattila ML, Rautava P, Sillanpää M, et al. Caries in five-year-old children and associations with family-related factors. J Dent Res 2000;79(3):875–881. DOI: 10.1177/00220345000790031501
  2. Nagaraj A, Pareek S. Infant oral health knowledge and awareness: disparity among pregnant women and mothers visiting a government health care organization. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2012;5(3):167–172. DOI: 10.5005/jp-journals-10005-1160
  3. Suresh BS, Ravishankar TL, Chaitra TR, et al. Mother's knowledge about pre-school child's oral health. J Indian Soc Pedod Prevent Dent 2010;28(4):282–287. DOI: 10.4103/0970-4388.76159
  4. European Academy of Paediatric Dentistry. Guidelines on the use of fluoride in children: an EAPD policy document. Eur Arch Paediatr Dent 2009;10(3):129–135. DOI: 10.1007/BF03262673
  5. American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Guideline on periodicity of examination, preventive dental services, anticipatory guidance/counseling, and oral treatment for infants, children, and adolescents. Pediatr Dent 2013;35(5):E148–E156.
  6. Grinyer PH. Survey methods in social investigation. J Oper Res Soc 1973;24(1):148. DOI: 10.1057/jors.1973.31
  7. Kotha SB, Alabdulaali RA, Dahy WT, et al. The influence of oral health knowledge on parental practices among the Saudi parents of children aged 2–6 years in Riyadh City, Saudi Arabia. J Int Soc Prevent Communit Dent 2018;8(6):565–571. DOI: 10.4103/jispcd.JISPCD_341_18
  8. Kotha SB, Chaudhary M, Terkawi S, et al. Correlation of perceived self-rated oral health status with various dental health and awareness factors. J Int Soc Prev Community Dent 2017;7(2):S119–S1124. DOI: 10.4103/jispcd.JISPCD_304_17
  9. Chala S, Houzmali S, Abouqal R, et al. Knowledge, attitudes and self-reported practices toward children oral health among mothers attending maternal and child's units, Salé, Morocco. BMC Public Health 2018;18(1):618. DOI: 10.1186/s12889-018-5542-2
  10. Sheiham A, Bönecker M. Promoting children's oral health: theory & practice. Quintessence Ed 2006.
  11. Saldūnaitė K, Bendoraitienė EA, Slabšinskienė E, et al. The role of parental education and socioeconomic status in dental caries prevention among Lithuanian children. Medicina (Kaunas) 2014;50(3):156–161. DOI: 10.1016/j.medici.2014.07.003
  12. Williams NJ, Whittle JG, Gatrell AC. The relationship between socio-demographic characteristics and dental health knowledge and attitudes of parents with young children. Br Dent J 2002;193(11): 651–654. DOI: 10.1038/sj.bdj.4801652
  13. Costa SM, Martins CC, Bonfim MLC, et al. A systematic review of socioeconomic indicators and dental caries in adults. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2012;9(10):3540–3574. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph9103540
  14. World Health Organization. (2015). Guideline: sugars intake for adults and children. World Health Organization
  15. Iftikhar A, Zafar M, Kalar MU. The relationship between snacking habits and dental caries in school children. Int J Collab Res Intern Med Public Health 2012;4(12):1943–1951.
  16. Ashkanani F, Al-Sane M. Knowledge, attitudes and practices of caregivers in relation to oral health of preschool children. Med Princ Pract 2013;22(2):167–172. DOI: 10.1159/000341764
  17. de silva-Sanigorski A, Ashbolt R, Green J, et al. Perental self-efficacy and oral health-related knowledge are associated with parents and child oral health behaviors and self-reported oral health status. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 2013;41(4):345–352. DOI: 10.1111/cdoe.12019
  18. Shetty RM, Deoghare A, Rath S, et al. Influence of mother's oral health care knowledge on oral health status of their preschool child. Saudi J Oral Sci 2016;3(1):12–16. DOI: 10.4103/1658-6816.174291
  19. Kamolmatyakul S, Saiong S. Oral health knowledge, attitude, and practices of parents attending Prince of Songkla University Dental Hospital. Int J Health PromotEduc 2007;45(4):111–113. DOI: 10.1080/14635240.2007.10708115
  20. Volpato LE, Palti DG, Lima JE, et al. When and why parents seek dental care for children under 36 months. J Int Oral Health 2013;5(4):21–25.
  21. AlHumaid J, El Tantawi M, AlAgl A, et al. Dental visit patterns and oral health outcomes in Saudi children. Saudi J Med Med Sci 2018;6(2):89–94. DOI: 10.4103/sjmms.sjmms_103_17
PDF Share
PDF Share

© Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) LTD.