Knowledge, attitudes and preferences of parents/guardians regarding dental treatment of their children's primary teeth: a questionnaire cross-sectional study.

Abstract

Purpose: Assess the knowledge and attitudes of parents/guardians regarding their children's oral health and their preferences regarding the treatment of carious primary teeth.

Methods: A cross-sectional study including the completion of a questionnaire by parents/guardians of healthy children aged 2-12 years attending the Department of Pediatric Dentistry (NKUA). Data were collected through 35 questions regarding demographic characteristics of the participants, oral hygiene and dietary habits, and parents' knowledge of the importance of oral health and primary teeth. Treatment preferences were assessed through clinical scenarios accompanied by colored clinical photographs. Results were presented in frequency tables and comparisons with specific child and parent-characteristics were evaluated using chi-squared and Fisher's exact test.

Results: Parents were mainly females (73%), married (81%), aged > 40 years (56%), and high school graduates (57%). Most children brushed alone (56%), twice (48%) daily, with a manual toothbrush (65%) and consumed sugary snacks daily (38%). More than two-thirds of parents recognized the relationship between oral hygiene and general health (82%) and the importance of primary teeth (72%). Almost all parents would like to restore their children's asymptomatic (94%) and symptomatic (98%) primary teeth, with pulp therapy and stainless-steel crowns being the treatment of choice (58%). The decision on treatment about cavitated/non-cavitated primary teeth was not correlated with any of the parental or child-related factors. Acceptance of minimally invasive treatments was higher among highly educated parents and parents of boys.

Conclusion: Insight into parents' perceptions and preferences regarding the treatment of primary teeth is necessary and should be considered during treatment planning.