Evaluation of the Project on Children's Teeth Brushing Training for Parents in a Well Child Clinic, Phrompiram Hospital, Phitsanulok, 2015-2017

Abstract

Brushing children's teeth by their parents can prevent dental caries in early childhood. This descriptive research aimed to evaluate a project on children's teeth brushing training among a group of parents who had never brushed teeth of their child, and the caries-free children aged 9 months to 1 year 6 months. It was conducted in the well child clinic of Phrompiram Hospital during 2015-2017. Data analysis was performed by using descriptive statistics, frequency, percentage and chi-square. The study results showed that the rate of parents and children who had followed up on every appointments was 77.1, 76.1 and 89.4 percent for the year 2015-2017, respectively; and the rate of children having teeth brushed by their parents was 93.5, 93.0 and 91.5 percent, respectively. The frequency of brushing teeth by their parents twice per day was 35.3, 38.0 and 40.4 percent; once per day was 46.4, 45.1 and 48.9 percent; and those with irregular brushing or not having brushed teeth by their parents was 18.3, 16.9 and 10.6 percent. At the end of the 3-year project, 61.0% of the children were caries free; and majority of them were children who had teeth brushed by their parents twice per day as 95.5% of children in this group were caries free. The frequency of brushing teeth by their parents was significantly correlated with the prevention outcome of dental caries (p<0.001).