Parental Knowledge, Practice and Awareness on feeding and Oral hygiene measures for their children: An impact on ICDAS Scores

Abstract

Introduction: Early childhood caries is one of the most prevalent chronic dental disorders affecting children in their early developmental stages. The negative consequence of caries would impact the child's overall quality of life. The mother or other primary caregiver is ultimately responsible for making the decisions concerning a child's nutrition, upbringing, and care in order to promote good health and impart healthy habits in them. Aims and Methodology: To investigate the knowledge and awareness of parents towards the child’s feeding, oral hygiene practices and its impact on the dental tissues in the oral cavity represented using the ICDAS scores. In phase I a preformed closed ended questionnaire in Malay language was distributed to 100 parents that recorded the Knowledge, practices and awareness of parent’s feeding and oral hygiene measures followed in their children. In Phase II their kids were examined at to record the ICDAS scores. Results: The parameters in the parent’s questionnaire form and the ICDAS scores of the deciduous and young permanent molars in the children were tabulated and statistically analyzed by using Spss software. There was ambiguity among the parent’s knowledge, awareness and practice of feeding and oral hygiene methods they followed for their children. Besides, there was statistical significance difference in the molar teeth affected by caries and their ICDAS scores (p < 0.001) in the subjects upon clinical examination. Conclusion: The clinical outcomes for treatment of early childhood caries are not always favorable with high relapse. Hence, this study recommends to investigate the cultural norms that are associated with knowledge, practice and attitude of feeding and oral hygiene practices followed in community and modify their practices in a wise and strategical trajectories to promote health, thereby reducing the burden of oral health in the society.