Mother’s Knowledge Regarding Oral Health among Their Preschool Children

Abstract

<br /> <strong><em><span>Background</span></em></strong><br /> <span>The maintenance and health of children's milk teeth are important due to the high rate of caries and the fact that their health clearly affects the permanent teeth, the treatment of these caries and its complications leads to high costs for families and the society. This study aimed to determine the mother's knowledge and attitude regarding oral health among their preschool children.</span><br /> <strong><em><span>Materials and Methods</span></em></strong><br /> <span>The maintenance and health of children's milk teeth are important due to the high rate of caries and the fact that their health clearly affects the permanent teeth, the treatment of these caries and its complications leads to high costs for families and the society. This study aimed to determine the mother's knowledge and attitude regarding oral health among their preschool children.</span><br /> <strong><em><span>Results</span></em></strong><br /> <span>Based on the results of this study, and given the correct answers, the average score of mothers' knowledge is 14.42 ± 2.33(out of 20). There was a significant relationship between the mother's age (the mean age of the mothers was7.07 <span style="text-decoration: underline;">+</span> 4.0 years), and their level of knowledge (p-value = 0.029). The mean score of mothers knowledge was significantly different when compared with different levels of their education (p-value = 0.032), and a significant relationship was observed between having multiple children and an increase in knowledge in mothers (p-value = 0.043).</span><br /> <strong><em><span>Conclusion</span></em></strong><br /> <span>This study revealed that only about 40% of mothers were not aware of simple facts regarding the usage of baby bottles and their children's oral hygiene, which could lead to an increased prevalence of Early Childhood Caries in their children. Hence it is concluded that maternal educational interventions are necessary for improving children's oral health habits.</span>