scholarly journals Early childhood caries, primary caregiver oral health knowledge and behaviours and associated sociological factors in Australia: a systematic scoping review

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lesley Andrew ◽  
Ruth Wallace ◽  
Nicole Wickens ◽  
Jilen Patel
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Early Childhood Caries ◽  
Health Knowledge ◽  
Primary Caregivers ◽  
Oral Health Knowledge ◽  
Western Australian ◽  
Childhood Caries

Abstract Background Early childhood caries disproportionately affects vulnerable groups and remains a leading cause of preventable hospital admissions for Western Australian children. The Western Australia State Oral Health Plan seeks to improve child oral health through universal and targeted health promotion initiatives with primary caregivers. These initiatives require evidence of primary caregiver oral health knowledge and behaviours and baseline data on early childhood caries. The objective of this systematic scoping review was to understand current oral health knowledge and practices of primary caregivers of children aged 0–4 years, identify influential socioecological determinants, and identify data on early childhood caries in the Western Australian context. Methods A systematic scoping review framework identified articles published between 2010 and 2021, using Scopus, PubMed, Medline, CINAHL, PsycINFO, selected article reference lists, and oral health websites. The lack of Western Australian specific literature prompted the inclusion of Australia-wide articles. Articles were screened via author consensus, with eight selected. Results Western Australia and nation-wide data on early childhood caries are limited and mostly dated. WA data from children aged 2–3 years, collected in 2006, suggests the prevalence is 2.9% in this state, with national data of children from 0 to 3 years, collected from 2006 and 2008, suggesting an early childhood caries prevalence of 3.4–8% of children aged 18 months, rising sharply by 36 months of age. Nationally, fewer than half the primary caregivers reported following evidence-based oral health recommendations for their young children. Perceptions of the role of dental services for young children tends to be focussed on treatment, rather than surveillance and prevention. Knowledge of dietary and oral hygiene practices is inconsistent and awareness of the Child Dental Benefit Schedule low. Young children’s oral health status is clearly associated with socioecological factors, including socioeconomic status. Conclusions Recent early childhood caries data and evidence of primary care-givers’ oral health knowledge and behaviours are unavailable in Western Australia, a similar situation exists nationwide. To realise the Western Australian and National Oral Health Plans, research is required to address this knowledge gap.

scholarly journals Early Childhood Caries and Primary Caregiver Oral Health Literacy in Western Australia: a Systematic Scoping Review

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lesley ANDREW ◽  
Ruth WALLACE ◽  
Nicole WICKENS ◽  
Jilen PATEL
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Health Literacy ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Early Childhood Caries ◽  
Primary Caregivers ◽  
Oral Health Literacy ◽  
Western Australian ◽  
Childhood Caries

Abstract Background Early childhood caries disproportionately affects vulnerable groups and remains a leading cause of preventable hospital admissions for Western Australian children. The Western Australia State Oral Health Plan seeks to improve child oral health through universal and targeted health promotion initiatives with primary caregivers. These initiatives require evidence of primary caregiver health literacy and baseline data on Early childhood caries. The objective of this systematic scoping review is to understand current oral health literacy of primary caregivers of children aged 0 to 4 years, identify influential socioecological determinants, and identify data on Early childhood caries in the Western Australian context. Methods A systematic scoping review framework identified articles published between 1980 and 2021, using Scopus, PubMed, Medline, CINAHL, PsycINFO, selected article reference lists, and oral health websites. Articles were screened via author consensus, with eight selected. Results Data on early childhood caries in Western Australia is limited; the suggested prevalence of 2.9% based on data over 15 years old, however national data suggests an Early childhood caries prevalence of 3.4–8% of children aged 18 months rising sharply by 36 months of age. Fewer than half the primary caregivers reported following evidence-based oral health recommendations for their young children. Engagement with dentists tended to be reactive. Knowledge of dietary and oral hygiene practices were inconsistent and awareness of the Child Dental Benefit Schedule low. Young children’s oral health status was clearly associated with socioecological factors including socioeconomic status. Conclusions Early childhood caries data and primary care-givers’ oral health literacy evidence are unavailable in Western Australia. To realise the Western Australia State Oral Health Plan, research is required to address this knowledge gap.

scholarly journals The prevalence and risk factors of Early Childhood Caries among 3-year-old children in Wenzhou

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liqin Mei ◽  
Zhiyuan Wei ◽  
Qiao Li ◽  
Xiping Wang
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Early Childhood ◽  
Logistic Regression ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Early Childhood Caries ◽  
Health Knowledge ◽  
Knowledge Level ◽  
Oral Health Knowledge ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Childhood Caries

Abstract Background This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of Early Childhood Caries (ECC) among 3-year-old children in Wenzhou China. Methods Kindergarten children aged 3 were recruited using a stratified cluster sampling method. Dental examinations were conducted by one trained dentist, and oral health-related data were collected. Examinations were surface-specific for dental caries, following World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. Bivariate tests and logistic regression models were used to assess the association between ECC and different risk factors. Results A total of 693 children were recruited for the study, and 445 completed the dental examination. Among the 445 children, the prevalence of ECC was 59.8%. The mean decayed, missing, and filled primary teeth (dmft) was 2.9, and of the total dmft, only 6.3% were filled. The mean decayed, missing, and filled primary surface (dmfs) was 4.9. Logistic regression analyses identified age and parents’ oral health knowledge level were associated with the experience of ECC (P<0.05). Conclusions A higher prevalence of ECC was observed and most of the carious teeth were untreated. The experience of ECC was related to age and parents’ oral health knowledge level.

scholarly journals Long-term effectiveness of the Midwifery Initiated Oral Health-Dental Service Program on maternal oral health knowledge, preventative dental behaviours and the oral health status of children in Australia

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ajesh George ◽  
Ariana Kong ◽  
Mariana Sousa ◽  
Amy Villarosa ◽  
Shilpi Ajwani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Early Childhood Caries ◽  
Health Knowledge ◽  
Oral Health Status ◽  
Dental Service ◽  
Oral Health Knowledge ◽  
And Control ◽  
Childhood Caries

Abstract Background Early childhood caries remains a public health challenge and many interventions to manage this disease have focused on prevention during early infancy. Promoting oral health during pregnancy may also improve the oral health of children, however, there is limited evidence in Australia. The Midwifery Initiated Oral Health-Dental Service (MIOH-DS) was developed to train midwives to promote maternal oral health and a large trial showed the program substantially improved the oral health status, knowledge and behaviours of pregnant women. This study evaluated the long-term effectiveness of the program (post trial) on maternal oral health knowledge, preventative dental behaviours, and early childhood caries in offspring. Methods A prospective cohort study was conducted in three large metropolitan health services in Sydney, Australia. The study followed 204 women and their children three to four years after participating in the original MIOH-DS trial (intervention and control groups). The outcome measures included child dental decay (cariogenic bacteria), and a maternal oral health knowledge and behaviours questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the main outcomes and a regression model was constructed to explore predictors of dental decay among children. Results There were no significant differences across the outcome measures between the MIOH-DS participants (mother/child) and control groups except for a small difference in maternal oral health knowledge. Most mothers across both groups demonstrated high oral health knowledge and positive oral health practices, and the regression model found that these outcomes provided a protective effect (low levels of bacteria and dental caries) among children. Some aspects of oral health remained poorly understood by mothers across both groups―the oral health impact of sugary foods and drinks, at-risk feeding practices, and the recommended age for first dental visits. Conclusions The long-term impact of the program demonstrates the effectiveness of improving maternal oral health knowledge and preventative behaviours to reduce the risk of early childhood caries, although the specific effect of the MIOH-DS program was not found. Although oral health knowledge was high across participants the findings suggest the need for reinforced education around feeding, diet and dental visiting through postnatal early childhood services to show sustained improvements.

scholarly journals Long-Term Effectiveness of the Midwifery Initiated Oral Health-Dental Service Program on Maternal Oral Health Knowledge, Preventative Dental Behaviours and the Oral Health Status Of Children In Australia

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ajesh George ◽  
Ariana Kong ◽  
Mariana Sousa ◽  
Amy Villarosa ◽  
Shilpi Ajwani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Early Childhood Caries ◽  
Health Knowledge ◽  
Oral Health Status ◽  
Dental Service ◽  
Oral Health Knowledge ◽  
And Control ◽  
Childhood Caries

Abstract Background: Early childhood caries remains a public health challenge and many interventions to manage this disease have focused on prevention during early infancy. Promoting oral health during pregnancy may also improve the oral health of children, however, there is limited evidence in Australia. The Midwifery Initiated Oral Health-Dental Service (MIOH-DS) was developed to train midwives to promote maternal oral health and a large trial showed the program substantially improved the oral health status, knowledge and behaviours of pregnant women. This study evaluated the long-term effectiveness of the program (post trial) on maternal oral health knowledge, preventative dental behaviours, and early childhood caries in offspring.Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted in three large metropolitan health services in Sydney, Australia. The study followed 204 women and their children three to four years after participating in the original MIOH-DS trial (intervention and control groups). The outcome measures included child dental decay (cariogenic bacteria), and a maternal oral health knowledge and behaviours questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the main outcomes and a regression model was constructed to explore predictors of dental decay among children.Results: There were no significant differences across the outcome measures between the MIOH-DS participants (mother/child) and control groups except for a small difference in maternal oral health knowledge. Most mothers across both groups demonstrated high oral health knowledge and positive oral health practices, and the regression model found that these outcomes provided a protective effect (low levels of bacteria and dental caries) among children. Some aspects of oral health remained poorly understood by mothers across both groups―the oral health impact of sugary foods and drinks, at-risk feeding practices, and the recommended age for first dental visits.Conclusions: The long-term impact of the program demonstrates the effectiveness of improving maternal oral health knowledge and preventative behaviours to reduce the risk of early childhood caries, although the specific effect of the MIOH-DS program was not found. Although oral health knowledge was high across participants the findings suggest the need for reinforced education around feeding, diet and dental visiting through postnatal early childhood services to show sustained improvements.

Oral Health Knowledge of Pregnant Women on Pregnancy Gingivitis and Children's Oral Health

2015 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 105-108 ◽  
Author(s):  
C Zhong ◽  
KN Ma ◽  
YS Wong ◽  
Y So ◽  
PC Lee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Early Childhood ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Early Childhood Caries ◽  
Health Knowledge ◽  
Oral Health Care ◽  
Oral Disease ◽  
Children’S Oral Health ◽  
Childhood Caries

Objective: Pregnancy gingivitis and early childhood caries remain prevalent in Hong Kong. The aim of this study was to assess pregnant women's knowledge and beliefs related to pregnancy gingivitis and children's oral health. Study design: An outreach survey was carried out in a clinic that provided antenatal examination. A written oral health questionnaire related to pregnancy gingivitis and early childhood caries was administered to pregnant women. Of the 106 pregnant women who enrolled in the study, 100 completed the questionnaires. Results: Among the 100 subjects, only 39% correctly identified that hormonal changes contribute to pregnancy gingivitis. Only 36% identified red and swollen gums as signs of gingivitis. Furthermore, 53% of the surveyed pregnant women were not sure about the amount of toothpaste to administer to a child aged 18 months to 5 years. Almost 50% assumed that a replanted avulsed tooth would probably not survive within a short extra-alveolar period of less than 60 minutes. Conclusion: Prenatal women generally lack knowledge of a common oral disease that occurs during pregnancy and of what constitutes adequate oral health care for children. Oral health care education should be implemented as part of a prenatal care program.

scholarly journals The prevalence and risk factors of Early Childhood Caries among 3-year-old children in Wenzhou

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liqin Mei ◽  
Zhiyuan Wei ◽  
Qiao Li ◽  
Xiping Wang
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Early Childhood ◽  
Logistic Regression ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Dental Caries ◽  
Early Childhood Caries ◽  
Health Knowledge ◽  
Knowledge Level ◽  
Oral Health Knowledge ◽  
The Mean

Abstract Background: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of Early Childhood Caries (ECC) among 3-year-old children in Wenzhou China. Methods: Preschool children aged 3 were recruited using a stratified cluster sampling method. Dental examinations were carried out by one trained dentist, and oral health-related data were collected. Examinations were surface-specific for dental caries, following World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. Bivariate tests and logistic regression models were used to investigate the risk factors of dental caries. Results: A total of 693 children were recruited for the study, and 445 completed the dental examination. Among the 445 children, the prevalence of ECC was 59.8%. The mean decayed, missing, and filled primary teeth (dmft) was 2.9, and of the total dmft, only 6.3% were filled. The mean decayed, missing, and filled primary surface (dmfs) was 4.9. Logistic regression analyses identified age and parents’ oral health knowledge level were associated with the experience of ECC (P<0.05). Conclusions: A higher prevalence of ECC was observed and most of the carious teeth were not restored. The experience of ECC was related to age and parents’ oral health knowledge level.

Promotion of Oral Health Care in Infants - A Preventive Strategy to Reduce the Burden of Early Childhood Caries

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
pp. 18-22
Author(s):  
Subhathira Rajasekaran ◽  
Sham S Bhat ◽  
Vidya Bhat ◽  
Sundeep Hegde K ◽  
Neha Thilak ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Early Childhood ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Early Childhood Caries ◽  
Oral Health Care ◽  
Preventive Strategy ◽  
Childhood Caries

Effect of Sustained Interventions from Infancy to Toddlerhood in Children with Cleft Lip and Palate for Preventing Early Childhood Caries

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Sivasubramanian Abirami ◽  
Noopur Panchanadikar ◽  
Murugan Satta Muthu ◽  
Suganya Balasubramanian ◽  
Jyotsna Murthy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Early Childhood Caries ◽  
Cleft Lip ◽  
Cleft Lip And Palate ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Primary Caregivers ◽  
Assessment System ◽  
Incidence Density ◽  
Tooth Surfaces ◽  
Childhood Caries

The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of sustained interventions in children with cleft lip and palate (CLP) for preventing early childhood caries (ECC). This prospective, nonrandomized interventional cohort study was conducted in infants aged 0–12 months with congenital CLP. Interventions were given to parents/primary caregivers in the form of combined oral health-care measures (sterile wet gauze piece, finger brush, toothbrush, and toothpaste) by a motivational interviewing approach. Education of primary caregivers on oral hygiene was provided by audiovisual aids and demonstration. Reinforcement of the prescribed regimen was done through daily short message services in caregivers’ preferred language and bimonthly telephone calls. Participants were followed up for 9–32 months from the time of recruitment, with a mean period of 18.3 ± 5.1 months. Rates of dental caries were represented as prevalence rates, incidence density, and transitional probability. The distribution of the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS) scores on different tooth surfaces affected in the intervention group was compared descriptively with that of the age- and sex-matched historical control groups. On analysis of surface-wise distribution of the ICDAS scores in the intervention group (<i>n</i> = 1,919), 1.2% (<i>n</i> = 24) had noncavitated lesions (ICDAS codes 1 and 2), 0.88% (<i>n</i> = 17) had cavitated lesions (ICDAS codes 3–6), and 0.26% (<i>n</i> = 5) had both cavitated and noncavitated lesions (ICDAS codes 1–6). The incidence density of caries-affected children observed at the first and last follow-ups was 1.2 persons/100 person-months and 1.3 persons/100 person-months of observation, respectively. The incidence density of new caries-affected tooth surfaces at the first and last follow-ups was 0.163 surfaces/100 surface-months and 0.062 surfaces/100 surface-months, respectively. Maxillary first molars had the maximum transition from sound to the cavitated lesion (11.5%), followed by maxillary incisors from sound to noncavitated (7.5%) at the last follow-up. Based on the newly developed assessment criteria in our study, sustained interventions proved to be significantly effective in preventing ECC in children with CLP.

scholarly journals Sugary Liquids in the Baby Bottle: Risk for Child Undernutrition and Severe Tooth Decay in Rural El Salvador

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 260
Author(s):  
Priyanka Achalu ◽  
Abhishek Bhatia ◽  
Bathsheba Turton ◽  
Lucy Luna ◽  
Karen Sokal-Gutierrez
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Early Childhood ◽  
Risk Factor ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Early Childhood Caries ◽  
Health Interventions ◽  
Tooth Decay ◽  
Child Undernutrition ◽  
Baby Bottle ◽  
Childhood Caries

As communities worldwide shift from consuming traditional diets to more processed snacks and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), increases in child obesity and tooth decay and persistence of undernutrition are particularly apparent in Latin American countries. Further evidence of shared risk factors between child undernutrition and poor oral health outcomes is needed to structure more effective health interventions for children’s nutrition. This study aims to identify dietary, oral health, and sociodemographic risk factors for child undernutrition and severe early childhood caries (sECC) among a convenience sample of 797 caregiver–child pairs from rural Salvadoran communities. Caregiver interviews on child dietary and oral health practices were conducted, and their children’s height, weight, and dental exam data were collected. Multivariable regression analyses were performed using RStudio (version 1.0.143). Caregiver use of SSBs in the baby bottle was identified as a common significant risk factor for child undernutrition (p = 0.011) and sECC (p = 0.047). Early childhood caries (p = 0.023) was also a risk factor for developing undernutrition. Future maternal–child health and nutrition programs should coordinate with oral health interventions to discourage feeding children SSBs in the baby bottle and to advocate for policies limiting SSB marketing to young children and their families.

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