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Mothers' Knowledge, Attitude, and Behavior Concerning Their Kindergarten Children's Oral Health: A Cross-Sectional
Dhuha K Qahtan1,2, Osama M Felemban1, Rana A Alamoudi1
1Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Clinical and Experimental Dental Research
|March 11, 2025
Summary
Mothers' oral health knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors significantly impact their children's dental caries. Younger, well-educated mothers with higher incomes and better oral health knowledge had children with fewer cavities.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Dentistry
- Public Health
- Health Education
Background:
- Maternal oral health knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors are crucial for children's oral health.
- Understanding these factors can inform targeted interventions for improving oral hygiene in young children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess oral health knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of mothers with kindergarten children (3-5 years).
- To determine the influence of these maternal factors on children's oral health status, specifically dental caries.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, involving 461 mother-child pairs.
- Self-administered questionnaires assessed maternal oral health knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors.
- Children's oral health was evaluated using the decayed, missed, and filled index (dmft).
Main Results:
- The mean dmft score was 5.41 ± 4.81.
- Maternal factors (age, education, income) and kindergarten type were significantly associated with children's oral health.
- Higher maternal knowledge, younger maternal age, higher education, and higher family income correlated with lower dmft scores.
Conclusions:
- Mothers of children in private kindergartens demonstrated better oral health knowledge, attitudes, and habits.
- Maternal education, age, and income are key determinants of oral health behaviors and knowledge.
- Targeted educational programs for mothers, especially those with lower socioeconomic status, are vital for improving preschool children's oral health.
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