Communication strategies to encourage child participation in an oral health promotion session: An exemplar video observational study

The aim of this pilot study was to investigate the acceptability of an oral health-related mobile application developed for young children based on the feedback given by the children and their parents. Another aim was to evaluate the self-reported change in children’s oral health behaviors during a short test period. The application—a virtual pet integrated into a child’s daily routines—aimed to promote oral hygiene and dietary behaviors in children. A total of 36 4–12-year-old voluntary children were given a mobile phone with the installed application. After the 5-week testing period, the feasibility of the application and possible changes in the children’s oral health behaviors were asked using an electronic questionnaire. Most of the children considered the application clear (n = 34), amusing (n = 31), and useful (n = 29). The children’s tooth brushing manners improved both qualitatively and quantitatively: the time used for tooth brushing increased and the children learned how to brush different tooth surfaces. Mobile applications can be fun and useful in oral health promotion; while playing, children can learn good oral health-related behaviors. Mobile applications integrate oral health promotion into children’s daily environment and routines.

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Oral health promotion practices of Australian community mental health professionals: a cross sectional web-based survey

BMC Oral Health ◽

10.1186/s12903-021-01438-x ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Roisin McGrath ◽

Rodrigo Marino ◽

Julie Satur

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Promotion ◽

Oral Health ◽

Community Mental Health ◽

Mental Health Professionals ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Oral Health Promotion ◽

Mental Health Consumers ◽

Australian Community ◽

Health Support

Abstract Background This study explored the oral health promotion practices of Australian community mental health professionals working with people living with severe mental illness (SMI). Methods An anonymous cross-sectional web-based survey was distributed to all Community Rehabilitation and Support Workers (CRSWs) working at Neami National (n = 471), an Australian community mental health service. The validated questionnaire assessed participants’ self-rated oral health knowledge and confidence (7 questions); their perceived barriers (9 questions) and attitudes (5 questions) to oral health promotion; and their oral health promotion practices (7 questions). Differences in responses between groups were analysed using Chi-square, Fisher’s exact and Mann–Whitney U tests. Logistic Regression Analysis served to explore the probability of providing oral health support to mental health consumers. Results A total of 141 CRSWs were included in this study, achieving a response rate of 30 percent. Roughly two-fifths (39.0%) of participants had oral health training in the previous 12-months. The majority of CRSWs (89.3%) believed (‘Agreed’ or ‘Strongly agreed’) that mental health support workers have a role to play in promoting oral health. However, less than half (44.0%) of CRSWs practiced oral health promotion activities when working with mental health consumers. When asked about barriers to promoting oral health, ‘lack of consumer interest’ was the most prevalent issue. CRSWs who had oral health training were over three-times (OR 3.5, 95% CI 1.25–9.83, p = 0.017) more likely to provide oral health support. Results showed the provision of oral health support was most strongly associated with self-rated knowledge and confidence (OR 4.089, 95% CI 1.629–10.263, p = 0.003) and attitudes to oral health promotion (OR 3.906, 95% CI 1.77–8.65, p = 0.001). Conclusion The results of this study suggest that mental health support workers who have more positive attitudes to oral health promotion and who have higher self-rated oral health knowledge and confidence are more likely to provide oral health support in their professional role. Training for community mental health professionals is essential to build confidence and skills to promote oral health for mental health consumers.

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Oral health promotion

Basic Guide to Oral Health Education and Promotion ◽

10.1002/9781119591641.ch32 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 323-330

Keyword(s):

Health Promotion ◽

Oral Health ◽

Oral Health Promotion

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Strategies for community oral health promotion

British Journal of Community Nursing ◽

10.12968/bjcn.1998.3.1.7254 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

pp. 36-40 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Polly Munday

Keyword(s):

Health Promotion ◽

Oral Health ◽

Oral Health Promotion

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Improving the oral health of older people in care homes (TOPIC): a protocol for a feasibility study

Pilot and Feasibility Studies ◽

10.1186/s40814-021-00872-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Georgios Tsakos ◽

Paul R. Brocklehurst ◽

Sinead Watson ◽

Anna Verey ◽

Nia Goulden ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Promotion ◽

Oral Health ◽

Complex Intervention ◽

Assessment Tool ◽

Care Home ◽

Care Homes ◽

Routine Practice ◽

Oral Health Promotion ◽

Nice Guideline ◽

Care Home Staff

Abstract Background Evidence for interventions promoting oral health amongst care home residents is weak. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guideline NG48 aims to maintain and improve the oral health of care home residents. A co-design process that worked with residents and care home staff to understand how the NG48 guideline could be best implemented in practice has been undertaken to refine a complex intervention. The aim of this study is to assess the feasibility of the intervention to inform a future larger scale definitive trial. Methods This is a protocol for a pragmatic cluster randomised controlled trial with a 12-month follow-up that will be undertaken in 12 care homes across two sites (six in London, six in Northern Ireland). Care homes randomised to the intervention arm (n = 6) will receive the complex intervention based on the NG48 guideline, whilst care homes randomised to the control arm (n = 6) will continue with routine practice. The intervention will include a training package for care home staff to promote knowledge and skills in oral health promotion, the use of the Oral Health Assessment Tool on residents by trained care home staff, and a ‘support worker assisted’ daily tooth-brushing regime with toothpaste containing 1500 ppm fluoride. An average of ten residents, aged 65 years or over who have at least one natural tooth, will be recruited in each care home resulting in a recruited sample of 120 participants. Assessments will be undertaken at baseline, 6 months and 12 months, and will include a dental examination and questionnaires on general health and oral health administered by a research assistant. A parallel process evaluation involving semi-structured interviews will be undertaken to explore how the intervention could be embedded in standard practice. Rates of recruitment and retention, and intervention fidelity will also be recorded. A cost-consequence model will determine the relevance of different outcome measures in the decision-making context. Discussion The study will provide valuable information for trialists, policymakers, clinicians and care home staff on the feasibility and associated costs of oral health promotion in UK care homes. Trial registration ISRCTN10276613. Registered on 17th April 2020. http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN10276613.

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Oral health promotion initiated during pregnancy successful in reducing early childhood caries

Evidence-Based Dentistry ◽

10.1038/sj.ebd.6400677 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 10 (4) ◽

pp. 100-101 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Siobhan M Lucey

Keyword(s):

Health Promotion ◽

Early Childhood ◽

Oral Health ◽

Early Childhood Caries ◽

Oral Health Promotion ◽

Childhood Caries

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The development of a national oral health promotion programme for pre-school children in England

International Dental Journal ◽

10.1002/j.1875-595x.2001.tb00846.x ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 51 (5) ◽

pp. 334-338 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Richard G. Watt ◽

C. Stillman-Lowe ◽

P. Munday ◽

W. Plimley ◽

S. S. Fuller

Keyword(s):

Health Promotion ◽

Oral Health ◽

School Children ◽

Oral Health Promotion ◽

Health Promotion Programme ◽

Promotion Programme

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Effectiveness of Family-Centered Oral Health Promotion on Toddler Oral Health in Hong Kong

Journal of Dental Research ◽

10.1177/00220345211036663 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 002203452110366

Author(s):

K.F. Yu ◽

W. Wen ◽

P. Liu ◽

X. Gao ◽

E.C.M. Lo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Promotion ◽

Oral Health ◽

Feeding Habits ◽

Test Group ◽

Control Group ◽

Oral Health Promotion ◽

Educational Counseling ◽

Hygiene Practices ◽

Family Centered ◽

Counseling Approach

Early childhood caries is common in Hong Kong, and parental practices on maintaining good oral health of their young children are far from satisfactory. This article reports on the effectiveness of a randomized controlled trial on family-centered oral health promotion to new parents in establishing proper feeding habits and oral hygiene practices and in reducing caries risk among 3-y-old toddlers. At baseline, pregnant mothers and their husbands were recruited and randomly allocated into 2 groups. The test group received individualized oral health education (OHE) via a behavioral and educational counseling approach while the control group received the OHE pamphlets only. Information related to the feeding habits, oral hygiene practices, and oral health of the toddlers was collected by parent-completed questionnaires and oral examination annually via home visits. A total of 580 families were recruited at baseline, and 436 toddlers were followed up when they reached 3 y old (test, n = 228; control, n = 208; follow-up rate, 75.2%). The proportions of toddlers who held food in the mouth, fell asleep when milk feeding, had prolonged use of the nursing bottle, ate before bed, and consumed a sweet snack daily were significantly lower in the test group than in the control group (all P < 0.05). Significantly higher proportions of toddlers brushed their own teeth twice daily, were brushed by their parents twice daily, and used fluoride toothpaste than in the control group (all P < 0.001). Toddlers in the test group had better oral health status with a lower level of visible plaque, Streptococcus mutans, white spot lesion, and cavitated lesion (all P < 0.05). Family-centered oral health promotion and individualized OHE for parents via a behavioral and educational counseling approach are more effective in establishing good feeding habits and parental toothbrushing practices and in decreasing the caries risk of their toddlers than the distribution of OHE pamphlets alone (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02937194).

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