Information and Practices about Childrens’ Dental Health of the Mothers Have 2-4 Year Old and Who Applied Sıtmapınarı Family Health Center in the City of Malatya [Malatya Sıtmapınarı ASM ’ye Başvuran 2-4 Yaş Çocuğu Olan Annelerin Çocuklarının Diş Sağlığına Ait Bilgi Düzeyi ve Uygulamaları]
Gülsen Güneş, Duygu Celik Seyitoglu, Şelale Şahin
DOI: 10.5455/medscience.2015.04.8338 · Page: 72-85 · 41 Views · 0 Downloads · 0 Citations
Abstract
Abstract
According to the Dental Association of Turkey, the prevalence of the preschool children having caries
and bearing its consequences is over 80%. It is a common known fact that brushing teeth decreases
the risk of caries in teeth at a meaningful level. Protection of dental health in early childhood and
giving the habits of keeping the teeth healthy to children are closely related with the knowledge and
attitudes of mothers. In this study our purpose is to determine knowledge and practices of mothers
about dental and oral health of their children. The study is a cross-sectional study, and has been
conducted with the mothers having children between the ages 2-4 who applied to Sıtmapınarı Family
Health Center. A questionnaire consisting of 21 questions was applied to 331 mothers. The
questionnaire form included questions on the socio-demographic characteristics of the mothers as
well as their information levels on the practices on oral and dental health. In the analyses of the data,
the Chi-Square Test, Unpaired T Test and One Way Anova Tests were used. 40,5% of the children of
the mothers who participated in our study brush their teeth. The rate of knowing that the toothpaste
must include fluorine among the mothers has been determined as 24,8%; and the rate of knowing why
the fluorine is added to the toothpastes has been determined as 28,2%. 33,2% of the mothers are
inclined to check the food of their children with the same spoon their children are using during the
meal, which makes it easier for caries to appear. The educational level, socio-economic status,
working or not working of mother, brushing their own teeth or not influenced the brushing the teeth
behavior of the children and the knowledge levels of the mothers on dental and oral health (p<0,05).
There was no differences in terms of the age of the mothers (p>0,05). In conclusion, wrong practices
that influence the oral and dental health in a bad way are very common. The intervention about oral
and dental health should be done in community. Mothers must be informed on the reasons of the
fluorine gel and polisher agents, and also on the importance of brushing teeth.
Keywords: Dental health in children, protection from caries, information level, mothers
Keywords : Dental health in children; protection from caries; information level; mothers