Effect of Oral Health Education on Mothers in Enugu, Nigeria

Objectives: The study identified the relationship between mother’s age, educational level, occupation, and knowledge on oral health care for children. It also identified the effect of oral health education on mothers’ knowledge of oral health care for children.
Methods: This was an uncontrolled before and after study involving 408 mothers who brought their children for immunization at a tertiary health care centre in Enugu, Nigeria. Data on the mothers’ age, educational level, occupation, mothers’ knowledge of oral hygiene practices was recorded. The association between the mother’s age, level of education, occupation, and good knowledge of oral health care for children was assessed. The predictors of good knowledge on oral health care for children before and after the oral health education were also determined.
Results: Only 167(36.0%) mothers had good knowledge on oral health care for children prior to oral health education. There was a significant association between level of education (p=0.01) and mothers’ knowledge of oral health care of children. After the study intervention, the proportion of mothers with good knowledge of oral health care for children increased by 40.8% when compared with the baseline (p<0.001).Before oral health education, mothers with secondary school education (AOR: 2.05; 95% CI: 1.04-4.03; p=0.04) were significantly more likely to have good knowledge on oral health care for children than those with tertiary education. After oral health education, mothers with primary education (AOR: 11.01; 95% CI: 1.59-7.67; p=0.02) and mothers with secondary education (AOR: 4.14; 95% CI: 1.11-15.5; p=0.04) were more likely to have good knowledge on oral health care for children than those with tertiary education.
Conclusions: Oral health education can significantly improve mothers’ knowledge of oral health care for children. The level of education is a significant predictor of good knowledge on oral health care for children by mothers in the study environment.