Parental Self-efficacy and Childcare Behaviors Related to Oral Health

Objectives: To assess and compare two oral health education (OHE) strategies in enhancing parental self-efficacy and establishment of parental tooth-brushing and sugar-provision habits for their infants.
Methods: A randomized controlled trial on family-centered oral health promotion for new parents were conducted in Hong Kong. The 589 participant families were randomly allocated into two groups. Individualized OHE and a pamphlet on infant oral health were delivered in the test group while the control group only received the pamphlet. Information on parental self-efficacy in tooth-brushing and control of sugar consumption for their infants, together with the actual parental tooth-brushing and sugar-provision habits for their infants was collected at age 2 years.
Results: Among the 431 followed up mothers (73.2%), a higher proportion of those in the test group (n=218) perceived self-efficacy in parental tooth-brushing for their infants (being able to brush: 83.0% and knowing how to brush: 58.3%) when compared to the control group (n=213, 69.0%, and 44.6%, respectively, p≤0.01). However no significant difference in self-efficacy in the control of sugar consumption between meals was found (test: 67.4%, control: 62.0%, p=0.236). Among the mothers who were the main caregivers (n=374), significant positive association between self-efficacy in parental tooth-brushing and actual tooth-brushing habit was found. A higher proportion of the mothers who perceived having the knowledge and ability brushed their child’s teeth twice daily (54.0% and 58.4%, respectively) compared to those who perceived not (27.1% and 37.0%, respectively, p<0.001). No significant association between parental self-efficacy in the control of sugar consumption and actually habits of giving sugary drinks/cakes/sweets to the child was found (all p>0.05).

Conclusions: Individualized OHE to new parents is more effective in establishing self-efficacy in parental tooth-brushing but not in the control of sugar consumption than pamphlet distribution alone. Proportionally more parents with self-efficacy brushed their 2-year-old child’s teeth twice daily.