Sociodemographic and behavioural determinants of early childhood caries knowledge among expectant mothers in Kuwait

Affiliations


Abstract

Purpose: Early Childhood Caries (ECC) is a highly prevalent disease in Kuwait. It poses health, economic, and social implications affecting patients, their families and communities. ECC awareness campaigns targeting expectant mothers hold a promising potential as primary prevention tools. Understanding the baseline of ECC knowledge (ECC-K) is an important foundational step in planning such interventions. The aim of this study was to assess the level of ECC-K in a sample of expectant mothers, and to identify the sociodemographic and behavioural determinants of that knowledge.

Methods: A multiple-choice questionnaire was distributed to 430 expectant women from one maternity hospital in Kuwait. The questionnaire gathered information on the demographics, ECC-K, and the oral health behaviours of the participants. Bivariate analysis assessed the relationship between ECC-K scores and the different socio-demographic variables and oral health practices of the participants. A multiple linear regression model was developed to identify the predictors of ECC-K scores RESULTS: The response rate was 94% (n = 405). The mean ECC-K score was 6.4 [standard deviation (SD) = 2.5] out of a maximum score of 14. Age, education, number of children, frequency of dental visits, and flossing frequency were significantly associated with ECC-K levels (p < 0.05).

Conclusions: ECC-K among this cohort of expectant mothers was inadequate. Educational interventions are needed to foster better ECC preventive practices.

Keywords: Early childhood caries; Infant oral health; Knowledge; Pregnancy; Prenatal oral health care.


Similar articles

Do expectant mothers know how early childhood caries can be prevented? A cross-sectional study.

ElKarmi R, Aljafari A, Eldali H, Hosey MT.Eur Arch Paediatr Dent. 2019 Dec;20(6):595-601. doi: 10.1007/s40368-019-00442-8. Epub 2019 Apr 19.PMID: 31004321

Maternal knowledge on early childhood caries and barriers to seek dental treatment in Jordan.

BaniHani A, Tahmassebi J, Zawaideh F.Eur Arch Paediatr Dent. 2021 Jun;22(3):433-439. doi: 10.1007/s40368-020-00576-0. Epub 2020 Nov 18.PMID: 33210223 Free PMC article.

Maternal caries experience influences offspring's early childhood caries-a birth cohort study.

Hariyani N, Do LG, Spencer AJ, Thomson WM, Scott JA, Ha DH.Community Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2020 Dec;48(6):561-569. doi: 10.1111/cdoe.12568. Epub 2020 Aug 10.PMID: 32776590

RISK PREDICTORS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD CARIES INCREMENT-A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS.

Lam PPY, Chua H, Ekambaram M, Lo ECM, Yiu CKY.J Evid Based Dent Pract. 2022 Sep;22(3):101732. doi: 10.1016/j.jebdp.2022.101732. Epub 2022 Apr 29.PMID: 36162891 Review.

Effectiveness of preventive dental programs offered to mothers by non-dental professionals to control early childhood dental caries: a review.

George A, Sousa MS, Kong AC, Blinkhorn A, Patterson Norrie T, Foster J, Dahlen HG, Ajwani S, Johnson M.BMC Oral Health. 2019 Aug 2;19(1):172. doi: 10.1186/s12903-019-0862-x.PMID: 31375106 Free PMC article. Review.


Cited by

Evaluation of Parents' Awareness about the Effect of Prolonged Exposure to Milk or Sugary Liquids during Bedtime in the Development of Rampant Caries in Preschoolchildren and Infants.

Fatani B, Fatani OA, Kalantan R.Int J Clin Pediatr Dent. 2022 Mar-Apr;15(2):227-232. doi: 10.5005/jp-journals-10005-2029.PMID: 37457202 Free PMC article.

Sociodemographic Factors Associated with the Level of Knowledge of Early Postpartum Women about Oral Health Prevention in Infants Aged 0 to 2 Years Old: A Cross-Sectional Study under a Multivariable Analysis.

Gaspar-Damaso N, Ladera-Castañeda M, Córdova-Limaylla N, Briceño-Vergel G, Cervantes-Ganoza L, Nicho-Valladares M, Cornejo-Pinto A, Echavarría-Gálvez A, Cayo-Rojas C.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Jan 19;20(3):1881. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20031881.PMID: 36767256 Free PMC article.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Behavior of Parents Regarding Early Childhood Caries Prevention of Preschool Children in Western Region of Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Nassar AA, Fatani BA, Almobarak OT, Alotaibi SI, Alhazmi RA, Marghalani AA.Dent J (Basel). 2022 Nov 22;10(12):218. doi: 10.3390/dj10120218.PMID: 36547034 Free PMC article.

Oral Health and Knowledge among Postpartum Women.

Ben David M, Callen Y, Eliasi H, Peretz B, Odeh-Natour R, Ben David Hadani M, Blumer S.Children (Basel). 2022 Sep 22;9(10):1449. doi: 10.3390/children9101449.PMID: 36291384 Free PMC article.

36 Months' Clinical Performance of Primary Incisors Restorations Depending on the Type of Restorative Technique Used: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Sarapultseva M, Sarapultsev A.Dent J (Basel). 2021 Oct 22;9(11):126. doi: 10.3390/dj9110126.PMID: 34821590 Free PMC article.


KMEL References


References

  1.  
    1. Alkhubaizi Q, Moule A, Al-Sane M, Sorkin JD. Oral health practices and knowledge among parents and hired caregivers. Eur Arch Paediatr Dent. 2018;19:403–10. - DOI
  2.  
    1. Al-Mutawa SA, Shyama M, Al-Duwairi Y, Soparkar P. Dental caries experience of Kuwaiti kindergarten schoolchildren. Commun Dent Health. 2010;27:213–7.
  3.  
    1. Al-Sane M, Bourisly N, Almulla T, Andersson L. Laypeoples’ preferred sources of health information on the emergency management of tooth avulsion. Dent Traumatol. 2011;27:432–7. - DOI
  4.  
    1. American Academy of Pediatrics, Section on Pediatric Dentistry and Oral Health. Preventive oral health intervention for paediatricians. Pediatrics. 2008;122:1387–94. - DOI
  5.  
    1. Ashkanani F, Al-Sane M. Knowledge, attitudes and practices of caregivers in relation to oral health of preschool children. Med Princ Pract. 2013;22:167–72. - DOI
  6.  
    1. Baker SD, Quiñonez RB, Boggess K, Phillips C. Pregnant women’s infant oral health knowledge and beliefs: influence of having given birth and of having a child in the home. Matern Child Health J. 2016;20:1288–95. - DOI
  7.  
    1. Borrelli B, Tooley EM, Scott-Sheldon LA. Motivational interviewing for parent-child health interventions: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Pediatr Dent. 2015;37:254–65. - PubMed
  8.  
    1. Casamassimo PS, Hammersmith K, Gross EL, Amini H. Infant oral health: an emerging dental public health measure. Dent Clin N Am. 2018;62:235–44. - DOI
  9.  
    1. International Association of Paediatric Dentistry (IAPD). Early Childhood Caries. IAPD Bangkok declaration. Int J Paediatr Dent. 2019;29:384–6. - DOI
  10.  
    1. ElKarmi R, Aljafari A, Eldali H, Hosey MT. Do expectant mothers know how early childhood caries can be prevented? A cross-sectional study. Eur Arch Paediatr Dent. 2019;20:595–601. - DOI
  11.  
    1. Flores MT, Al-Sane M, Andresson L. Information to the public, patients and emergency services on traumatic dental injuries. In: Andreasen OJ, Andreasen FM, Anderson L, editors. Textbook and color atlas of traumatic injuries to the teeth. Oxford: Wiley; 2019. p. 992–1008.
  12.  
    1. Honkala S, Al-Ansari J. Self-reported oral health, oral hygiene habits, and dental attendance of pregnant women in Kuwait. J Clin Periodontol. 2005;32:809–14. - DOI
  13.  
    1. Hooley M, Skouteris H, Boganin C, et al. Parental influence and the development of dental caries in children aged 0–6 years: a systematic review of the literature. J Dent. 2012;40:873–85. - DOI
  14.  
    1. Kaste LM, Sreenivasan D, Koerber A, et al. Pediatric oral health knowledge of African American and Hispanic of Mexican origin expectant mothers. Pediatr Dent. 2007;29:287–92. - PubMed
  15.  
    1. Keirse MJ, Plutzer K. Women’s attitudes to and perceptions of oral health and dental care during pregnancy. J Perinat Med. 2010;38:3–8. - DOI
  16.  
    1. Kolstad C, Zavras A, Yoon RK. Cost-benefit analysis of the age one dental visit for the privately insured. Pediatr Dent. 2015;37:376–80. - PubMed
  17.  
    1. McGoldrick N, Burns J, Muir M. Is there an association between prenatal oral healthcare and early childhood caries prevention? Evid Based Dent. 2019;20:64–5. - DOI
  18.  
    1. Meyer K, Geurtsen W, Günay H. An early oral health care program starting during pregnancy: results of a prospective clinical long-term study. Clin Oral Investig. 2010;14:257–64. - DOI
  19.  
    1. Phantumvanit P, Makino Y, Ogawa H, et al. WHO global consultation on public health intervention against early childhood caries. Commun Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2018;46:280–7. - DOI
  20.  
    1. Plutzer K, Spencer AJ. Efficacy of an oral health promotion intervention in the prevention of early childhood caries. Commun Dent Oral Epidemiol. 2008;36:335–46. - DOI
  21.  
    1. American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), Policy on Early Childhood Caries (ECC): Classifications, Consequences, and Preventive Strategies. Pediatr Dent.2016;38:52-4.
  22.  
    1. Riggs E, Kilpatrick N, Slack-Smith L, et al. Interventions with pregnant women, new mothers and other primary caregivers for preventing early childhood caries. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2019;2019:CD012155.
  23.  
    1. Rothnie JJ, Walsh CA, Wang MJ, et al. An exploratory study of pregnant women’s knowledge of child oral health care in New Zealand. N Z Dent J. 2012;108:129–33. - PubMed
  24.  
    1. Schroth RJ, Brothwell DJ, Moffatt ME. Caregiver knowledge and attitudes of preschool oral health and early childhood caries (ECC). Int J Circumpolar Health. 2007;66:153–67. - DOI
  25.  
    1. Seow KW. Environmental, maternal, and child factors which contribute to early childhood caries: a unifying conceptual model. Int J Paediatr Dent. 2012;22:157–68. - DOI
  26.  
    1. Tinanoff N, Baez RJ, Diaz Guillory C, et al. Early childhood caries epidemiology, aetiology, risk assessment, societal burden, management, education, and policy: global perspective. Int J Paediatr Dent. 2019;29:238–48. - DOI
  27.  
    1. Vann WF Jr, Lee JY, Baker D, Divaris K. Oral health literacy among female caregivers: impact on oral health outcomes in early childhood. J Dent Res. 2010;89:1395–400. - DOI
  28.  
    1. Weintraub JA, Prakash P, Shain SG, et al. Mothers’ caries increases odds of children’s caries. J Dent Res. 2010;89:954–8. - DOI
  29.  
    1. Xiao J, Alkhers N, Kopycka-Kedzierawski DT, et al. Prenatal oral health care and early childhood caries prevention: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Caries Res. 2019;53:411–21. - DOI