Parental Knowledge, Attitude and Practices Toward Cariogenic Potential of Pediatric Oral Medications

Background/Objectives: Sugar added to pediatric oral medications may increase the risk of dental caries and erosion. Parental awareness and practices play a crucial role in minimizing the oral health risks associated with such medications. Therefore, the aim was to assess parents' knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding the cariogenic potential of pediatric oral medications in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using an online questionnaire. Parents who had at least one child between 2 and 12 years old were included. Participants were categorized into three groups based on the long-term intake of medications and their child's health status. Group 1: Parents of children with chronic diseases on long-term medications. Group 2: Parents of healthy children on long-term medications. Group 3: Parents of healthy children not on long-term medications. Results: A total of 2195 responses were collected. The majority of parents were aged 31-40 years. More than half of the mothers and fathers had a diploma or a university degree (59% and 54.3%, respectively). Although a high proportion of the parents (78-83%) were aware that medications often contained sugar, only 46-50% were aware of their cariogenic potential, while 27-38% speculated about their erosive potential. In terms of practices, most parents encouraged their children to drink water (70-71%) or rinse their mouths (14-20%) after medication intake. Conclusions: While most parents were aware that pediatric oral medications may contain sugar, there was a lack of proactive measures to mitigate their negative impact on oral health. Further studies are still needed to evaluate and improve public awareness and practices regarding the oral health risks associated with pediatric medications.