Effectiveness of Family-centered Oral Health Promotion on Infant Oral Health

Objectives: This randomized controlled trial aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a family-centered oral health intervention in reducing early childhood caries among infants.
Methods: At baseline, 589 participant families in Hong Kong were recruited and randomly allocated into test and control groups. Pamphlets on infant oral health were given in both groups whereas the test group received additional individualized oral health education. The participated families were followed up when the children were 1 and 2 years old. Information on infant feeding habits and oral hygiene practices were collected through questionnaire while infant oral health was assessed by clinical examination.
Results: Altogether 423 (71.8%) infants were followed up at both time points. Compared to control group, the proportion of infants in the test group who fell asleep with milk in their mouth was lower (24.8% vs. 11.7%, p=0.001). In addition, more test group parents brushed their 2-year-old child’s teeth twice daily compared to when the child was 1 year old (57.7% vs. 32.4%, p<0.001) and when compared to the control group (37.1%, p<0.001). Besides, more infants had visible plaque at age 2 compared to age 1 (test: 35.7% vs. 18.3%, p<0.001; control: 66.7% vs. 55.7%, p=0.035). Furthermore, the proportion of infants with visible plaque was lower in the test group compared to control group at both age 1 and age 2 (p<0.001). The proportion of infants with white spot carious lesion increased from age 1 to 2 (test: 7.0% vs. 12.2%, p=0.099; control: 12.4% vs. 24.8%, p=0.002), and there was significant difference between the two groups at age 2 (p<0.001).
Conclusions: Family-centered oral health promotion for new parents is more effective than distribution of pamphlets alone in establishing proper feeding habits and oral hygiene practices, and in preventing caries among infants in their first two years of life.