Knowledge, attitude, and practice of parents about child's oral health in Faridabad and its correlation with prevalence of dental caries in children through a questionnaire survey

Abstract

Background: An individual's health and overall well-being are strongly correlated with their oral health. Parents' knowledge, attitude, and practice have a great impact on the maintenance of child's oral health. Objective and Aim: The aim of the study is to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of parents about child's oral health in Faridabad and its correlation with prevalence of dental caries in children through a questionnaire survey in 3–6-year-old children. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Faridabad. The data were collected from the parents and their children 3–6 years old. A total sample of 400 parents and their children 3–6 years old residing in Faridabad was included. A questionnaire regarding knowledge, attitude, and practice about child's oral health was given to the parents. The parents who volunteer to participate in the study their children were taken for the study examination. Results: Parental perception of early childhood oral health is critical for developing effective preventive measures. Parents play an important role in making decisions about their child's oral health. The parents were given a self-administered questionnaire. The study included 400 parents and children aged 3–6 years. There was no significant difference in perception of their child's oral health care between mothers and fathers. The majority of parents/caretakers had good knowledge about children's oral hygiene, particularly fathers, but this knowledge did not appear to reflect in their attitude and practice. Conclusion: The current study concludes that parents are not well aware about dental disease prevention measures. As a result, it is the responsibility of the government and health-care providers to teach parents about oral health because they are role models for their children.