Oral Health Status, Treatment Needs and Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Health Care Workers of Ambala, India - A Cross-sectional Study

Enabling educator oral health literacy: An impetus for oral health promotion in early childhood development

INTRODUCTION

This study reports on the process evaluation of an oral health promotion intervention for educators (principals and teachers) at early childhood development (ECD) centres within a low-socioeconomic community in South Africa. This approach was based on the premise that oral health literacy plays a significant role in shaping personal health and serves as an impetus to influence change in others.

METHODS

Using a cross-sectional, descriptive study design, 91 educators participated in the oral health intervention as part of their 1-year ECD training programme. The pre-test questionnaire measured perceived dental status, oral health-related knowledge, attitudes and practices and impact of oral health problems on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). The post-test questionnaire evaluated the usefulness of the oral health workshop to participants, intentions for personal change as well as for the inclusion of oral health in their ECD centre programme.

RESULTS

Participants reported: having their natural teeth (80%), being happy with their mouth (56.2%), having oral problems (34%), inadequate oral hygiene practices (43%), dental visits when symptomatic (74%), a compromised OHRQoL and inadequate knowledge of oral problems experienced. Oral health promotion activities at ECD centres were limited, with only 34% reporting on toothbrushing programmes. Following the intervention, participants reported positively on aspects such as, the value of the workshop for themselves and their ECD centres, intentions for personal change to hygiene practices (56%), dietary practices (76%) and dental visits (63%). The incorporation of oral health education in their ECD centres was mentioned by most educators. Daily toothbrushing was noted by up to 40% while some highlighted their engagement with parents.

CONCLUSION

Building oral health literacy among educators has the potential for personal change and serves as an impetus to introduce oral health promotion programmes at ECD centres. The findings may be used to advocate for oral health partnerships with established community-based structures to increase access to oral care in ECD centres in underserved communities.

ISP good clinical practice recommendations for gum care

Oral health is vital for the general well-being, overall body health and the quality of life throughout our lifetime. Most of the oral diseases and conditions are largely related to the maintenance of oral hygiene, lacking that people suffer from diverse oral diseases at different times in their life. With greater life expectancy, the individuals have teeth involved with periodontal diseases that would not only require professional care but also home gum care for them to last a lifetime. Indian Society of Periodontology (ISP) has recognized the need for systematic documents to update everyday clinical practice of general dental practitioners and have provided evidence-based consensus documents, namely good clinical practice recommendations from time to time to raise the oral health-related awareness and standards of oral healthcare delivery across the country. The current set of clinical practice recommendations focused to "Gum Care for All", is aimed at emphasizing and enhancing the awareness regarding oral health promotion, maintenance, and disease prevention. Twenty-five subject matter experts from across the nation, prepared these recommendations after a thorough literature review and group discussions. The document has been prepared in three distinct sections, namely pretherapeutic, therapeutic, and post therapeutic, to provide guidance during the respective phases of patient management and may serve as a quick and concise reference to the readers. The guidelines shall provide the distinct definitions, signs and symptoms, treatment required; recall visit specifications for plausible clinical case situations, home care advice regarding maintenance of oral hygiene including information on brushing technique, care and change of brush, use of interdental aids, and mouthwashes, etc. The document should advocate and guide the combined efforts of general dentists, and the population at large toward an empowered, evidence based, integrated, and comprehensive oral health care, which shall enhance the healthful functioning and longevity of the dentition and general health of the individual.

Oral Hygiene Instruction – How it Affects the Caries Experience, Oral Hygiene Status, and sCD14 Levels?

Background:

Caries experience, oral hygiene status, and salivary sCD14 level are three essential factors to analyse individual dental caries development risk. Therefore, regular and effective oral hygiene instruction (OHI) is essential for dental caries prevention.

Objective:

This study aims to analyse the differences in caries experience, oral hygiene status, and sCD14 levels before and after OHI.

Methods:

An observational study with intervention before and after oral hygiene instruction was conducted on 40 samples of each group taken with an accidental sampling method. The sample was calculated using the sample size formula to determine the difference between two paired means; confidence level 95%; power test 90%. The OHI materials include microbial aspects, plaque control methods and instruments, and directives for visiting the dentist. Caries' experience was obtained using DMF-T index; oral hygiene status using simplified oral hygiene instruction (OHI-S); sCD14 levels obtained from unstimulated saliva using an ELISA kit. Data analysis used the Kolmogorov-Smirnov normality test, paired t-test, and Wilcoxon signed-rank test.

Results:

Kolmogorov normality test showed that the caries experience data were normally distributed, while oral hygiene status and sCD14 were not. The paired-t difference test result for caries experience cannot be determined because the data showed a similar value. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test result for oral hygiene status showed no significant difference, while the sCD14 showed a significant difference.

Conclusion:

Oral hygiene instruction showed a similar value of caries experience before and after oral hygiene, and also no difference was found in oral hygiene status; however, the sCD14 levels showed a difference after oral hygiene instruction.

Oral Health Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices among the Health-Care Professionals: A Questionnaire-Based Survey

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the study is to determine the oral health knowledge, attitude, and practices among the health-care workers (HCWs).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The present questionnaire-based survey among 473 HCW comprising of doctors, nurses, pharmacists, technicians, and interns was carried out to know the oral health knowledge, attitude, and practices among different HCW. Responses were recorded and data were assessed through descriptive statistics and by applying analysis of variance, Chi-square, and z-tests.

RESULTS

Maximum of doctors (98.7%), nurses (80.4%), interns (73.3%), pharmacists (70.8%), and technicians (67.1%) responded correctly that oral health is related to systemic health followed by treating a decayed tooth is equally important as treating other body ailments. Doctors revealed higher mean knowledge scores in comparison with other HCW. A significant difference is noted with regard to frequency of dental visit (P = 0.000), reason behind dental visit (P = 0.001), and barrier for not visiting the dentist (P = 0.013) among males and females. Similarly, a significant difference is noted with regard to frequency of dental visit (P = 0.001), dentist familiarizing about the treatment (P = 0.001), and his concern about the patients (P = 0.001) among between different HCW.

CONCLUSION

From the results of the present study, a variation in oral health knowledge was observed among different HCW. All the participants showed a positive attitude toward professional dental care.