Pediatrics are invited to children's oral health integration on their daily work : a community based need

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.

Download Full-text

Influence of Parental Health Literacy on Change over Time in the Oral Health of American Indian Children

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18115633 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (11) ◽

pp. 5633

Author(s):

Angela G. Brega ◽

Rachel L. Johnson ◽

Luohua Jiang ◽

Anne R. Wilson ◽

Sarah J. Schmiege ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Oral Health ◽

Health Literacy ◽

American Indian ◽

Health Knowledge ◽

Indian Children ◽

Change Over Time ◽

Oral Health Knowledge ◽

Pediatric Oral Health ◽

Children’S Oral Health ◽

Over Time

In cross-sectional studies, parental health literacy (HL) is associated with children’s oral health. It is unclear, however, whether HL influences pediatric outcomes. We examined the relationship of HL with change over time in parental oral health knowledge, beliefs, and behaviors, as well as pediatric oral health outcomes. We used longitudinal data from a study designed to reduce dental decay in American Indian children (N = 579). At baseline and annually for three years, parents answered questions assessing HL; oral health knowledge, beliefs, and behaviors; and pediatric oral health status. The number of decayed, missing, and filled tooth surfaces (dmfs) was computed based on annual dental evaluations. Linear mixed models showed that HL was significantly associated with all constructs, except dmfs, at their reference time points and persistently across the three-year study period. HL predicted change over time in only one variable, parents’ belief that children’s oral health is determined by chance or luck. HL is strongly associated with oral health knowledge, beliefs, behaviors, and status prospectively but is not a key driver of change over time in these oral health constructs.

Download Full-text

Children’s Oral Health on Pico Island, Azores (Portugal)

Medical Sciences Forum ◽

10.3390/msf2021005024 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

pp. 24

Author(s):

Juliana Pereira ◽

Gunel Kizi ◽

Ana Raquel Barata ◽

Irene Ventura

Keyword(s):

Oral Health ◽

Pediatric Population ◽

Pediatric Dentistry ◽

Mixed Dentition ◽

Class I ◽

Social Solidarity ◽

Children’S Oral Health

Pediatric dentistry focuses on children’s oral health. The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of malocclusion in a pediatric population. Eighty-two children (3–12 years old), of both genders, who belong to a Social Solidarity Institution for Children in Pico Island were clinically examined. Half were female and half were male, in which most were 7 years old (20.7%) with mixed dentition (58.5%). The highest prevalence was in canine class I and vertical molar. Most children did not have malocclusion characteristics (56.1%).

Download Full-text

Brush Day & Night: a review of a landmark partnership for children's oral health

International Dental Journal ◽

10.1016/j.identj.2021.01.019 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 71 ◽

pp. S2-S3

Author(s):

Gerhard Seeberger ◽

Mariano Sampietro

Keyword(s):

Oral Health ◽

Children’S Oral Health

Download Full-text

The Oral Health Inequities between Special Needs Children and Normal Children in Asia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Healthcare ◽

10.3390/healthcare9040410 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (4) ◽

pp. 410

Author(s):

Valendriyani Ningrum ◽

Abu Bakar ◽

Tzong-Ming Shieh ◽

Yin-Hwa Shih

Keyword(s):

Oral Health ◽

Special Needs ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Permanent Teeth ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Special Needs Children ◽

Normal Children ◽

Children’S Oral Health ◽

Care System

This meta-analysis aimed to analyze the oral health inequalities among special needs children during 2004–2019 in Asia to reveal the importance and the needs of establishing integrated and equitable special needs dentistry care system in Indonesia. PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Wiley Online Library were systematically searched for full-text observational studies published from 1 January 2004 to 15 January 2020, in English in Asia. Studies that included children under 18 years of age with special needs and compared them to healthy controls were selected. Study quality was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute 2017 Critical Appraisal Checklist. Risk of bias was assessed using the ROBINS-E tool. The decayed, missing, and filled permanent teeth (DMFT) index indicated that special needs children who suffer from intellectual disability or autism spectrum disorder had significantly more caries than normal children (p < 0.001). The special needs children who had more caries than normal children lived in countries that had a high average DMFT value among 12 years old children (p < 0.001), and these two variables showed a positive correlation in meta-regression analysis (p < 0.001). Having an integrated and equitable care system and elevating children’s oral health are important to maintain special needs children’s oral health.

Download Full-text

The impact of coronavirus lockdown on oral healthcare and its associated issues of pre-schoolers in China: an online cross-sectional survey

BMC Oral Health ◽

10.1186/s12903-021-01410-9 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Chang Liu ◽

Shuang Zhang ◽

Chenzheng Zhang ◽

Baojun Tai ◽

Han Jiang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Preschool Children ◽

Health Status ◽

Oral Health ◽

Online Survey ◽

Oral Health Status ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Wuhan City ◽

The Future ◽

The Impact ◽

Children’S Oral Health

Abstract Background The sudden outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) epidemic influenced people’s daily life. During lockdown of Wuhan city, the oral health and its associated issues of preschool children were investigated and guidance for dental clinics when the epidemic were controlled in the future were also provided. Methods A national online survey was conducted among preschool children and completed by their caregivers. The questionnaire related to children’s oral health status and care behaviour, caregivers' attitudes. The information was statistically analyzed between Wuhan residents and others residents. Results 4495 valid questionnaires were collected. In oral health status, during Wuhan lockdown, 60.8%, 35.5% and 18.3% children had self-reported dental caries, toothache and halitosis respectively. In oral health attitudes, respondents who would increase attention to oral health was more than that would decrease. In oral hygiene behaviour, compared to non-Wuhan children, the children in Wuhan became more active in brushing their teeth. In utilization of dental services in the future, less Wuhan residents would choose to have dental visit directly, 28.5% Wuhan residents and 34.7% non-Wuhan residents agreed all of procedures could be done if proper protected. Conclusions Oral health status and associated issues of preschool children in Wuhan were significantly different from that of others during lockdown of Wuhan city and in the future. Effective measures should be taken as early as possible to protect children's oral health.

Download Full-text

The psychosocial effects of severe caries in 4-year-old children in Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil

Cadernos de Saúde Pública ◽

10.1590/s0102-311x2005000500028 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 21 (5) ◽

pp. 1550-1556 ◽

Cited By ~ 52

Author(s):

Sandra Feitosa ◽

Viviane Colares ◽

Jimmy Pinkham

Keyword(s):

Oral Health ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Health Related Quality ◽

Psychosocial Effects ◽

Validated Questionnaires ◽

Free Data ◽

Related Quality ◽

Health Related ◽

Children’S Oral Health

The aim of this study was to analyze the psychosocial effects of severe caries in 4-year-old children in Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil. The clinical examination was conducted by a single examiner in order to select children with severe caries and caries-free (kappa = 1). Of the 861 children examined, 77 (8.1%) had severe caries and 225 (23.6%) were caries-free. Data were collected by applying validated questionnaires answered by the parents or guardians. Most of the parents or guardians of children with severe caries reported that their children complained of toothache (72.7%), and a significant portion stated that their children had problems eating certain kinds of food (49.4%) and missed school (26.0%) because of their teeth. Most of the parents or guardians of children with severe caries (68.8%) stated that oral health affects their children's life, while the same was stated by 9.8% of the parents or guardians of the caries-free children. Severe caries was found to have a negative impact on children's oral health-related quality of life.

Download Full-text