Abstract
Purpose: This study evaluated the oral health knowledge and behaviors in pregnant women and mothers of young children in relation to early childhood caries to assess the need for an educational oral health program.
Methods: Interviews were conducted from a sample of 103 Medicaid-eligible participants; 56 pregnant women and 47 mothers with children under the age 6 in Florida. The data were collected using a 4-page questionnaire with closed-ended questions and analyzed using SAS/STAT 9.22.
Results: Overall, 79 of 101 study participants (78%) did not receive any dental care during pregnancy. There was a significant relationship between the frequencies of mother's tooth brushing and how frequently toddlers' teeth were brushed (C=0.29; p=0.04), and the mothers' self-reported oral health ratings and how frequently they brushed their toddlers' teeth (r2=0.29; p=0.03).
Conclusion: Mothers' oral hygiene habits are significantly related to the oral hygiene habits of their children. Oral health education, during and after pregnancy, would be beneficial to promote healthier mouths for the mothers and their children.
Footnotes
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Maryam Rahbari, BA, RDH, MPH, is a registered dental hygienist currently practicing dental hygiene in a private dental practice in Lake Mary, Fla. Jaana Gold, DDS, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the College of Graduate Health Studies at the A.T. Still University, MPH dental emphasis program and Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Florida, College of Dentistry, Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Sciences.
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This study supports the NDHRA priority area, Health Promotion/Disease Prevention: Investigate the effectiveness of oral self-care behaviors that prevent or reduce oral diseases among all age, social and cultural groups.
- Copyright © 2015 The American Dental Hygienists’ Association