Background
The deleterious effects of dental caries in children can often be arrested if parents are knowledgeable regarding dental treatment. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between a parent’s level of oral hygiene knowledge and the oral hygiene behaviors of their children ages 7 to 17 in the greater United States.
Methods
The researcher utilized a quantitative descriptive study based on a non-experimental cross-sectional survey design. 103 participants voluntarily responded. To be eligible, participants had to live in the greater United States and have a child between the ages of 7 to 17.
Results
Data analysis was completed using inferential statistics while utilizing the chi-square test of independence as the analytical method. The Chi-Square test was used to determine whether a relationship between the parent’s hygiene knowledge and the child’s oral hygiene behaviors existed. Results did reveal an association between the variables, a parent’s hygiene knowledge and their child’s oral health hygiene behaviors upon completion of the chi-square test analysis.
Conclusions
The oral hygiene knowledge of some parents needs to be increased to ensure positive outcomes with their child’s oral hygiene behaviors—information about pit and fissure sealants to aid in the prevention of dental caries for their children would be highly advantageous. Additionally, further studies are warranted to address possible limitations of the child and parental socioeconomic issues.
Practical Implications
More schools need to invest in school-based sealant programs to offer parents another alternative to help with the prevention of dental caries in their children.