Evaluation of the Knowledge Level of Parents of Preschool and Early Primary School Children About Tooth Brushing

Derya Ceyhan; Gizem Yıldız

doi:10.7126/cumudj.1746510

TR EN

Okul Öncesi ve İlkokul Çağındaki Çocukların Ebeveynlerinin Diş Fırçalama Konusundaki Bilgi Düzeylerinin Değerlendirilmesi

Öz

Amaç: Bu araştırmanın amacı, okul öncesi ve ilkokul çağındaki çocukların ebeveynlerinin diş fırçalama konusundaki bilgi düzeylerini değerlendirmek ve sosyodemografik faktörlerle ilişkilendirmektir. Gereç ve Yöntemler: Çalışmaya, 0-8 yaş arası çocuklarının muayene veya tedavisi için başvuran ve çalışmaya katılmaya gönüllü olan ebeveynler dahil edildi. Ebeveynlerin tanımlayıcı özelliklerini, ağız sağlığı konusundaki bilgi düzeylerini ve daha önce bu konuda bir eğitim alıp almadıklarını belirlemek amacıyla bir anket uygulandı. Elde edilen veriler istatistiksel olarak analiz edildi. Ebeveynlerin tanımlayıcı özelliklerine göre bilgi düzeylerindeki farklılıkları incelemek için bağımsız gruplar t-testi, tek yönlü varyans analizi (ANOVA) ve post hoc (Tukey, LSD) analizleri kullanıldı. p < 0.05 istatistiksel olarak anlamlı kabul edildi. Bulgular: Ebeveynlerin çoğunluğu çocuklarının ağız sağlığı konusunda orta düzeyde bilgi sahibi idi. Köyde yaşayan ebeveynlerin bilgi puanları, diğerlerine kıyasla daha düşüktü. İlkokul mezunu annelerin bilgi puanları, diğer eğitim seviyelerindeki annelere göre daha düşüktü. Çok düşük gelirli ailelerin bilgi puanı, diğer gelir düzeylerine sahip ailelere göre daha düşük bulundu (p<0.05). Katılımcıların çoğunluğu (%88,0), ağız sağlığı konusunda eğitim almamış olsa da bu durum bilgi düzeyi ile ilişkili değildi. Çocuk yaşı ve ebeveyn yaşı ile bilgi puanları arasında anlamlı bir korelasyon bulunmadı (p>0.05). Sonuçlar: Ebeveynler, temel ağız sağlığı bilgilerine hâkim olmakla birlikte daha detaylı bilgileri yeterince bilmemekteydi. Bu durum, konuya özel eğitim programları düzenlenmesinin gerekliliğini ortaya koymaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Evaluation of the Knowledge Level of Parents of Preschool and Early Primary School Children About Tooth Brushing

Abstract

Objectives: This survey aimed to evaluate the knowledge level of parents of preschool and early primary school children about tooth brushing and to correlate it with sociodemographic factors. Materials and Methods: Parents who applied to the clinic for the examination or treatment of their children aged 0-8 years and who volunteered to participate in the study were included. A questionnaire was applied to determine parents’ descriptive characteristics, their knowledge level about oral health and whether they had received an education on the subject before. Statistical analysis was performed. Independent groups t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and post hoc (Tukey, LSD) analyses were used to examine the differences in knowledge levels according to the descriptive characteristics of the parents. p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The majority of parents had moderate knowledge about their children's oral health. Parents living in village had lower knowledge scores compared to others. Mothers who graduated from primary school had lower knowledge scores than mothers with other education levels. The knowledge score of families with very low income was found to be lower than families with other income levels (p<0.05). Although the majority of participants (88.0%) were not educated about oral health, this was not related to the knowledge level. No significant correlation was found between child age and parental age and knowledge scores (p>0.05). Conclusions: Parents had a good command of basic oral health information, but they did not know more detailed information sufficiently. This situation reveals the necessity of organising specific educational programmes.

Keywords

Supporting Institution

None

Project Number

None

Ethical Statement

This research was conducted in accordance with the Helsinki Declaration. Approval for this study was obtained from the Clinical Research Ethics Committee of Faculty of Medicine of Suleyman Demirel University (decision no. 6-115). All parents who were eligible for inclusion were asked to provide informed consent to participate in the study.

Thanks

Not applicable

References

1. Leghari MA, Farzeen T, Ali H. Association of dental caries and parents knowledge of oral health, a cross-sectional survey of schools of Karachi, Pakistan. J Pak Dent Assoc 2014;23:19-24.
2. Fejerskov O. Strategies in the design of preventive programs. Adv Dent Res 1995;9:82-88.
3. Ferro R, Besostri A, Olivieri A, Stellini E, Mazzoleni S. Preschoolers’ dental caries experience and its trend over 20 years in a North-East Italian Health District. Eur J Paediatr Dent 2007;8:199-204.
4. Kassebaum NJ, Bernabé E, Dahiya M, Bhandari B, Murray CJL, Marcenes W. Global burden of untreated caries: a systematic review and metaregression. J Dent Res 2015;94:650-658.
5. Şengül F, Urvasızoğlu G, Derelioǧlu S, Seddik T, Çelikel P, Baş A. Early childhood caries in 4- to 5-year-old children in Erzurum, Turkey. Front Public Health 2021;9:725501.
6. Sakuma S, Nakamura M, Miyazaki H. Predictors of dental caries development in 1.5-year-old high-risk children in the Japanese public health service. J Public Health Dent 2007;67:14-19.
7. Marcenes W, Muirhead VE, Murray S, Redshaw P, Bennett U, Wright D. Ethnic disparities in the oral health of three- to four-year-old children in East London. Br Dent J 2013;215:E4.
8. Goettems ML, Ardenghi TM, Romano AR, Demarco FF, Torriani DD. Influence of maternal dental anxiety on oral health-related quality of life of preschool children. Qual Life Res 2011;20:951-959.

9. Nepaul P, Mahomed O. Influence of parents’ oral health knowledge and attitudes on oral health practices of children (5-12 years) in a rural school in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. J Int Soc Prev Community Dent 2020;10:605-612.
10. Al Mejmaj DI, Nimbeni SB, Alrashidi RM. Association between demographic factors parental oral health knowledge and their ınfluences on the dietary and oral hygiene practices followed by parents in children of 2-6 years in Buraidah City Saudi Arabia: a pilot study. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2022;15:407-411.
11. Jürgensen N, Petersen PE. Promoting oral health of children through schools--results from a WHO global survey 2012. Community Dental Health 2013;30:204-218.
12. Duijster D, Verrips GHW, van Loveren C. The role of family functioning in childhood dental caries. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 2014;42:193-205.
13. Naidu RS, Davis L. Parents’ views on factors influencing the dental health of Trinidadian pre-school children. Community Dent Health 2008;25:44-49.
14. Ferrazzano GF, Sangianantoni G, Cantile T, Ingenito A. Relationship between social and behavioural factors and caries experience in schoolchildren in Italy. Oral Health Prev Dent 2016;14:55-61.
15. Sehrawat P, Shivlingesh K, Gupta B, Anand R, Sharma A, Chaudhry M. Oral health knowledge, awareness and associated practices of pre-school children’s mothers in Greater Noida, India. Niger Postgrad Med J 2016;23:152-157.
16. Prabhu A, Rao AP, Reddy V, Ahamed SS, Muhammad S, Thayumanavan S. Parental knowledge of pre-school child oral health. J Community Health 2013;38:880-884.
17. Chala S, Houzmali S, Abouqal R, Abdallaoui F. Knowledge, attitudes and self-reported practices toward children oral health among mother’s attending maternal and child’s units, Salé, Morocco. BMC Public Health 2018;18:618.
18. Alyahya L. Parental knowledge and practices regarding their children’s oral health in Kuwait. Eur J Paediatr Dent 2016;17:267-273.
19. American Academy on Pediatric Dentistry Clinical Affairs Committee-Infant Oral Health Subcommittee, American Academy on Pediatric Dentistry Council on Clinical Affairs. Guideline on infant oral health care. Pediatr Dent 2009;30(7 Suppl):90-93.
20. Schroth RJ, Harrison RL, Moffatt MEK. Oral health of indigenous children and the influence of early childhood caries on childhood health and well-being. Pediatr Clin North Am 2009;56:1481-1499.
21. Khanduri N, Singhal N, Mitra M, Rohatgi S. Knowledge, attitude, and practices of parents toward their children's oral health: a questionnaire survey in Bhairahawa (Nepal). Int J Pedod Rehabil 2018;3:59-61.
22. Jain R, Oswal KC, Chitguppi R. Knowledge, attitude and practices of mothers toward their children's oral health: A questionnaire survey among subpopulation in Mumbai (India). J Dent Res Sci Develop 2014;1:40-45.
23. Singh R, Mendiratta P, Saraf BG, Sheoran N, Saji SE, Kapil D. Knowledge, attitude and practices of parents toward the oral health of their school-going children in Faridabad City. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2022;15:549-553.
24. Jahandideh A, Tüloğlu N. Evaluation of parental knowledge about preventive applications in oral and dental health. SDU J Health Sci 2019;10:403-412.
25. Gussy M, Waters E, Riggs E, Lo S, Kilpatrick N. Parental knowledge, beliefs and behaviours for oral health of toddlers residing in rural Victoria. Aust Dent J 2008;53:52-60.
26. Begzati A, Bytyci A, Meqa K, Latifi-Xhemajli B, Berisha M. Mothers’ behaviours and knowledge related to caries experience of their children. Oral Health Prev Dent 2014;12:133-140.
27. Schroth RJ, Brothwell DJ, Moffatt MEK. Caregiver knowledge and attitudes of preschool oral health and early childhood caries (ECC). Int J Circumpolar Health 2007;66:153-67.
28. Das U, Singhal P. Tooth brushing skills for the children aged 3-11 years. J Indian Soc Pedod Prev Dent 2009;27:104-7.
29. Wapniarska K, Buła K, Hilt A. Parent’s pro-health awareness concerning oral health of their children in the light of survey research. Przegl Epidemiol 2016;70:59-63.
30. Daly CG, Marshall R, Lazarus R. Australian dentists’ views on toothbrush wear and renewal. Aust Dent J 2000;45:254-6.
31. Suma Sogi HP, Hugar SM, Nalawade TM, Sinha A, Hugar S, Mallikarjuna RM. Knowledge, attitude, and practices of oral health care in prevention of early childhood caries among parents of children in Belagavi city: a questionnaire study. J Fam Med Prim Care 2016;5:286-290.
32. Blinkhorn AS, Wainwright-Stringer YM, Holloway PJ. Dental health knowledge and attitudes of regularly attending mothers of high-risk, pre-school children. Int Dent J 2001;51:435-438.
33. Calcagnile F, Pietrunti D, Pranno N, Di Giorgio G, Ottolenghi L, Vozza I. Oral health knowledge in pre-school children: A survey among parents in central Italy. J Clin Exp Dent 2019;11:e327-e333.
34. Danser MM, Gómez SM, Van der Weijden GA. Tongue coating and tongue brushing: a literature review. Int J Dent Hyg 2003;1:151-158.
35. Saheb SAK, Najmuddin M, Nakhran AM, Mashhour NM, Moafa MI, Zangoti AM. Parents’ knowledge and attitudes toward preschool’s oral health and early childhood caries. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2023;16:371-375.
36. Toumba KJ, Twetman S, Splieth C, Parnell C, van Loveren C, Lygidakis NΑ. Guidelines on the use of fluoride for caries prevention in children: an updated EAPD policy document. Eur Arch Paediatr Dent 2019;20:507-16.
37. American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Caries-risk assessment and management for infants, children, and adolescents. The Reference Manual of Pediatric Dentistry. Chicago, Ill.: American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry; 2024: 306-312.
38. Juneja A, Batra P, Sultan A, Katyal S. Relationship between Oral Health Literacy (OHL) and Dental Anxiety in Parents of Children with dental caries visiting Tertiary Health Care Centre. Cumhuriyet Dent J 2025;28:108-114.
39. Alshammari FS, Alshammari RA, Alshammari MH, Alshammari MF, Alibrahim AK, Al Sineedi FA, et al. Parental awareness and knowledge toward their children’s oral health in the city of Dammam, Saudi Arabia. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2021;14:100-103.
40. Williams NJ, Whittle JG, Gatrell AC. The relationship between socio-demographic characteristics and dental health knowledge and attitudes of parents with young children. Br Dent J 2002;193:651-654.
41. Shaghaghian S, Savadi N, Amin M. Evaluation of parental awareness regarding their child’s oral hygiene. Int J Dent Hyg 2017;15:e149-e155.
42. Oge OA, Douglas GVA, Seymour D, Adams C, Csikar J. Knowledge, attitude and practice among Health Visitors in the United Kingdom toward children's oral health. Public Health Nurs 2018;35:70-77.

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Paedodontics , Dental Public Health

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Derya Ceyhan ^*
0000-0002-4489-3248
Türkiye

Gizem Yıldız
0000-0001-9444-6027
Türkiye

Publication Date

December 29, 2025

Submission Date

July 19, 2025

Acceptance Date

August 26, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 28 Number: 4

DOI

https://doi.org/10.7126/cumudj.1746510

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA42JJ73AF

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

EndNote

Ceyhan D, Yıldız G (December 1, 2025) Evaluation of the Knowledge Level of Parents of Preschool and Early Primary School Children About Tooth Brushing. Cumhuriyet Dental Journal 28 4 558–566.