IADR Abstract Archives
Rural Children’s Oral Health Associated With Parental Oral Health-Related Behaviours
Objectives: Aim of the study was to investigate the association between oral health of children living in rural areas and oral health-related behaviours of their parents in Lithuania.
Methods: First-grade children from ten peri-urban schools in Lithuania were invited to participate. Out of 453 (58%) participants, data of 132 (17%) most rurally residing children (64, 49% girls) and one of their parents (123, 93% females) was analyzed. Oral health of children was assessed clinically recording caries experience (DMFS+dmfs) and Silness-Loe plaque index by five trained and calibrated examiners. Intra-examiner agreement (ICC) was 0.89-0.97 and inter-examiner reliability 0.94 for both caries experience and plaque. Information about parents’ oral health-related behaviours was collected using WHO Oral Health Questionnaire for Adults: tooth brushing twice a day vs once a day or no brushing, use of fluoridated toothpaste yes vs no, flossing yes vs no, using mouthwash yes vs no. Linear and negative binomial regression analyses were used.
Results: Prevalence of caries experience in children was 91.7%, median (interquartile range (IQR)) 13.0 (17.0). Median (IQR) plaque score was 1.65 (0.76). Overall, 105 (81%) parents reported brushing their teeth twice a day, 61 (46%) flossed their teeth, 85 (66%) used fluoridated toothpaste and 53 (40%) used mouthwash. Associations were observed between parents’ tooth brushing frequency and children’s caries experience (IRR 0.6, 95% CI 0.4-0.9, p=0.06) and plaque score (β -0.2, 95% CI (-0.5)-(-0.8), p=0.008).
Conclusions: Less favourable parental tooth brushing was associated with worse oral health of children. Therefore, there is a need for interventions to improve parental oral-health behaviours in rural areas in Lithuania.
Methods: First-grade children from ten peri-urban schools in Lithuania were invited to participate. Out of 453 (58%) participants, data of 132 (17%) most rurally residing children (64, 49% girls) and one of their parents (123, 93% females) was analyzed. Oral health of children was assessed clinically recording caries experience (DMFS+dmfs) and Silness-Loe plaque index by five trained and calibrated examiners. Intra-examiner agreement (ICC) was 0.89-0.97 and inter-examiner reliability 0.94 for both caries experience and plaque. Information about parents’ oral health-related behaviours was collected using WHO Oral Health Questionnaire for Adults: tooth brushing twice a day vs once a day or no brushing, use of fluoridated toothpaste yes vs no, flossing yes vs no, using mouthwash yes vs no. Linear and negative binomial regression analyses were used.
Results: Prevalence of caries experience in children was 91.7%, median (interquartile range (IQR)) 13.0 (17.0). Median (IQR) plaque score was 1.65 (0.76). Overall, 105 (81%) parents reported brushing their teeth twice a day, 61 (46%) flossed their teeth, 85 (66%) used fluoridated toothpaste and 53 (40%) used mouthwash. Associations were observed between parents’ tooth brushing frequency and children’s caries experience (IRR 0.6, 95% CI 0.4-0.9, p=0.06) and plaque score (β -0.2, 95% CI (-0.5)-(-0.8), p=0.008).
Conclusions: Less favourable parental tooth brushing was associated with worse oral health of children. Therefore, there is a need for interventions to improve parental oral-health behaviours in rural areas in Lithuania.