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Oral Health Behaviours and Their Predictors in Children

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A special issue of Children (ISSN 2227-9067). This special issue belongs to the section "Pediatric Dentistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (5 July 2023) | Viewed by 15607

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Dr. Santosh K. Tadakamadla

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Guest Editor

Department of Rural Clinical Sciences, La Trobe Rural Health School, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3086, Australia
Interests: oral health; oral-systemic link; oral epidemiology; health promotion; health-related behaviour; health inequalities; health determinants; quality of life
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Mir Faeq Ali Quadri

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Guest Editor

Dental Public Health, College of Dentistry, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia
Interests: oral diseases; evidence-based dentistry; oral epidemiology; health disparities, quality of life; oral health care; health determinants
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Oral diseases are highly prevalent among children of all ages and are a major public health concern, more so in low-income countries. The most common oral disease, dental caries, is easily preventable through regular oral hygiene practices, including toothbrushing twice a day with fluoridated toothpaste and limiting sugar intake. While the management of dental disease is expensive and has a debilitating impact, prevention is simple and cost-effective. All oral health outcomes, including oral health behaviour, are determined by several population-level, family, and individual-level predictors. Reports suggest that disparities in oral health behaviours also contribute to a high burden of oral disease among underprivileged children. Therefore, evidence-based interventions targeted to improve children’s oral hygiene behaviours and reduce the effect of social, educational, and environmental barriers are warranted. Such pieces of evidence would be of help to governmental organisations and policymakers so that necessary reforms could be made.

For this Special Issue, we invite authors to submit high-quality research on the burden or pattern of oral health care practices, their determinants, and individual- or family- or community-level interventions to improve oral health care practices in children of all ages. We welcome both original articles and systematic reviews. Papers reporting on methodological aspects of research in this area will also be considered.

Dr. Santosh K. Tadakamadla
Dr. Mir Faeq Ali Quadri
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Children is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

toothbrushing
fluorides
dentifrices
diet
sugars
oral hygiene
behaviour
dental caries
oral health
children
family
parents
community
interventions
prevention
systematic reviews
research methods

Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

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10 pages, 619 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Oral Health of Rural Cameroonian Children: A Pilot Study in Bamendou

by Guillaume Aimond, Béatrice Thivichon-Prince, Célia Bernard-Granger, Coline Gisle, Tatiana Caron, Andre Valdese Jiokeng, Stefano Majoli, Jean-Christophe Maurin, Maxime Ducret and Laurent Laforest

Children 2023, 10(8), 1396; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10081396 - 16 Aug 2023

Viewed by 916

Abstract

Access to dental care in Cameroon is a public health issue, particularly for children living in rural areas. Given the lack of recent data, the investigation of children’s oral health along with their oral hygiene behavior, needs in terms of care, and access to oral hygiene materials were investigated. This cross-sectional pilot study was conducted in Bamendou, Western Region of Cameroon. The study population included 265 children aged 3–18 years who completed a questionnaire about their oral hygiene practices. A clinical examination assessed dental caries, calculus, gingivitis, and oral hygiene. The Chi-squared test was used to identify potential factors influencing caries prevalence rates (significance threshold: p < 0.05). Among the 265 children (females: 41.5%, mean age 9.3 years), caries prevalence (ICDAS ≥ 2) was 78.5% and significantly increased with age: 62.2% (3–6 years), 80.9% (7–11 years) and 84.1% (12–18 years, p = 0.01). Virtually no children (95.1%) had ever visited a dentist. While only 23.4% of children brushed their teeth at least twice a day, 14% worryingly reported the use of products other than toothpaste (ash, soap, salt, or bicarbonate) and 13.6% no brushing product. The present study revealed a high prevalence of dental caries in this population and inadequate toothbrushing habits, which highlights the need for preventive oral health education and intervention to address these issues. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Oral Health Behaviours and Their Predictors in Children)

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13 pages, 708 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Relationships between Clinical and Non-Clinical Variables concerning Traumatic Dental Injuries in Deciduous Teeth Attended in a Children’s Hospital

by Elvira Ferrés-Amat, Cristina Díaz-Martínez, Sira Herrera-Martínez, Neus Galofré-Kessler, Wilson Astudillo-Rozas, Oscar Aceituno-Antezana, Iván Valdivia-Gandur and Isabel Maura-Solivellas

Children 2023, 10(7), 1098; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10071098 - 22 Jun 2023

Viewed by 1070

Abstract

This study aimed to describe Traumatic Dental Injuries (TDI) in a child population, with a discussion focused on the impact of non-clinical variables on TDI. A cross-sectional, descriptive, and relational study about TDI in deciduous dentition in a children’s hospital was performed. A total of 166 patients were included, of which 51.8% were male and 48.2% were female. Subluxation was the most observed injury (37.5%), and high-severity lesions predominated (60.2%). Regarding non-clinical variables, 89.2% of the patients attended urgent care centers within 24 h, and 43.4% within the first 3 h. Pointed objects were the leading cause of TDI (47%). Most TDIs were concentrated between the ages of 2 and 4 (53.5%). Concerning the place of TDI occurrence, the school (41.6%) was associated with faster urgent dental care attendance, and the home (37.3%) was associated with TDI occurrence in children under 2 years of age. Previous TDI experience (24.1% of patients) did not generate differences in the time interval between the TDI and arrival at the hospital, compared with children without a TDI history. While the behavior of clinical variables agrees with the literature reviewed, several non-clinical variables show wide differences. There is a need to identify the non-clinical variables that can significantly interact with phenomena specific to the study population (social, demographic, and cultural). The study of these variables can be useful in applying health policies. In the group studied, the non-clinical data reveals the need to educate parents or guardians on the importance of timely care in TDI, the long-term consequences of traumatism affecting deciduous dentition, and the implication of the maturation of the child’s motor skills in TDI. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Oral Health Behaviours and Their Predictors in Children)

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9 pages, 256 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Prevalence of Dental Anomalies and Its Role in Sex Estimation among Children of Jazan Region, Saudi Arabia

by Apathsakayan Renugalakshmi, Thilla Sekar Vinothkumar, Ahmed M. Bokhari, Samaher Almahdi, Abdulrahman Almalki, Sudheer Babu Balla, Santosh Kumar Tadakamadla and Zaki Hakami

Children 2023, 10(4), 759; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10040759 - 21 Apr 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1234

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to ascertain the prevalence of dental anomalies and their ability to estimate sex status. Material and Methods: This cross-sectional radiographic study was based on the evaluation of dental anomalies of Saudi children aged between 5 and 17 years. A total of 1940 orthopantomograms (OPG) were screened, of which 1442 were included. All the OPGs were digitally evaluated with ImageJ software. The demographic variables and dental anomaly findings were subjected to descriptive and comparative statistical analysis. Discriminant function analysis was conducted for sex estimation. p value < 0.05 was considered as significant. Results: The mean age of the children in this study was 11.35 ± 0.28 years. At least one dental anomaly was detected in 161 children (11.17%), including 71 males and 90 females. Only 13 children (8.07%) presented with more than one anomaly. The most common dental anomaly detected was root dilaceration (47.83%) followed by hypodontia (31.68%). The least common dental anomaly was infraocclusion (1.86%). The sex prediction accuracy using discriminant function analysis was 62.9% (p < 0.01). Conclusion: The prevalence of dental anomalies was 11.17% with root dilaceration and hypodontia being the most common. The role of dental anomalies in sex estimation was found to be ineffective. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Oral Health Behaviours and Their Predictors in Children)

13 pages, 1008 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Dental Treatment Characteristics of Autistic Children and Differences in Dental Procedures under General Anesthesia Relative to Healthy Counterparts

by Bayan Alghafis, Abdulaziz Alharbi, Sanaa Al-Haj Ali, Faisal Alsineedi and Ohoud Alsudairi

Children 2023, 10(3), 466; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10030466 - 26 Feb 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1881

Abstract

Here, we assess the dental treatment characteristics among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and compare the dental procedures delivered under general anesthesia (GA) with those of healthy-matched counterparts. In this retrospective cohort study, we collected data from medical records of ASD children (n = 82) which included demographic profile, medical status (including the severity of the ASD and associated comorbidities), and dental history (including dental visits, behavior, care approach, and dental procedures provided). For those children who received dental GA (DGA) (n = 64), we compared all procedures delivered and the number of repeat sessions with healthy children (n = 64). Our results reveal that most ASD children (78%) received DGA, mainly with one repeat session (63.4%). The dental procedures provided to the children differed significantly according to the severity of the ASD and the behavior of the children. Furthermore, increasing severity led to significantly worse behavior of the children, increased need for DGA and repeat sessions. Comparison of the dental procedures under GA with healthy children revealed a significantly lower mean of almost all dental procedures in ASD children, except fissure-sealed teeth (p < 0.05). Considering these findings, DGA is unavoidable for ASD children with moderate-to-severe conditions or negative behavior in the dental office, even when their dental needs are lower than healthy children. The severity of ASD was the most important factor affecting the behavior of the children and the care approach they received. Along with children’s behavior, they most influenced the dental procedures delivered and the need for repeat DGA. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Oral Health Behaviours and Their Predictors in Children)

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12 pages, 1189 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of Clinical Symptoms and Biochemical Parameters in Odontogenic Cellulitis of the Head and Neck Region in Children

by Adrianna Słotwińska-Pawlaczyk, Bogusława Orzechowska-Wylęgała, Katarzyna Latusek and Anna Maria Roszkowska

Children 2023, 10(1), 172; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10010172 - 16 Jan 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1716

Abstract

Many cases of cellulitis in the head and neck region among hospitalized pediatric patients are related to odontogenic infections. C-reactive protein (CRP), white blood cell (WBC) count, neutrophils to lymphocytes ratio (NLR), D-dimer, and prealbumin can be used to assess the severity of odontogenic inflammation. The aim of the study is to evaluate the biochemical parameters as a predictor factor of the severity of odontogenic cellulitis in children. This study was conducted from 2020 to 2021 on patients admitted to the Department of Pediatric Otolaryngology and Pediatric Head and Neck Surgery of the Upper Silesian Children’s Health Center in Katowice. We included 40 patients aged 2–16 in the study, who were divided into two groups: research (SS-Study subject) (n = 20) and control (CS-Control subject) (n = 20). The patients underwent an interview and physical examination to assess the presence of intraoral and extraoral swelling and the presence of trismus. The patients who qualified for the study had blood taken to determine the level of CRP, WBCs, NLR, D-dimers, and prealbumin. Differences in biochemical test results in the SS and CS were statistically significant (p < 0.05). In the SS group, the mean values of biochemical parameters exceeded the clinical norm. A statistically significant positive relationship was found between CRP and extraoral swelling. The NLR correlates significantly with extraoral swelling and the length of hospitalization. D-dimer statistically correlated with trismus, extraoral swelling, and the number of anatomical spaces involved. The NLR and CRP ratio can be considered a prognostic marker of the course of infection and hospitalization time. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Oral Health Behaviours and Their Predictors in Children)

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13 pages, 1607 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Relationship between Children’s Lifestyle and Fear during Dental Visits: A Cross-Sectional Study

by Carolina Caleza-Jiménez, Mª del Mar López-de Francisco, Asunción Mendoza-Mendoza and David Ribas-Pérez

Children 2023, 10(1), 26; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10010026 - 23 Dec 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1852

Abstract

The purpose was to analyze the relationship between new family and social patterns and child emotions in the dental clinic. The sample consisted of 174 children between the ages of four and nine. Parents completed 20 questions that referred to social, family, cultural, and economic factors. The Wong–Baker scale was completed by the children after the end of the treatment. A total of 129 of the children were found to be extremely happy (45.4%) or happy (28.7%) with the dental care received. There were statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) between younger children and sad and incredibly sad faces on the Wong–Baker test with a strong association (V > 0.3). Regarding children who practiced team sports, the chi-square test revealed a very significant association with happy and incredibly happy faces (p < 0.001) and the Cramer statistic evidenced a strong relationship between team sports and less dental fear (V > 0.3). Considering the limitations, small children (4–6 years) would be more fearful. In addition, stable environments in the family life of children (appropriate routines, adequate time spent with videogames, sport activities) could be interesting factors for improved control of fear and emotions in children. Further research is needed in this field. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Oral Health Behaviours and Their Predictors in Children)

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13 pages, 382 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Oral Health and Knowledge among Postpartum Women

by Mordechai Ben David, Yaffa Callen, Hila Eliasi, Benjamin Peretz, Rasha Odeh-Natour, Michal Ben David Hadani and Sigalit Blumer

Children 2022, 9(10), 1449; https://doi.org/10.3390/children9101449 - 22 Sep 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1841

Abstract

Oral health behavior and risks during pregnancy and after birth affect the oral health of babies and toddlers. We examined the oral and gingival health and caries prevalence of 150 postpartum women shortly after giving birth and assessed their knowledge of oral hygiene using a questionnaire. We also compared the oral health knowledge of nulliparous and multiparous women. Although most participants (98.0%) understood the importance of maintaining oral hygiene in children, their overall knowledge of oral health was medium–low, regardless of the number of previous pregnancies. Only 4.6% of women received oral health advice from their obstetrician during their pregnancy. Most participants had a high gingival index score, which correlated with dental pain during pregnancy. In contrast, the number of decayed, missing and filled teeth was significantly lower in first-time mothers. There was a statistically significant positive correlation between women who regularly visit their dentist and those who regularly take their children to the dentist. Expecting mothers should be educated about their own oral health and that of their developing fetus and children. Raising awareness among obstetricians with regards to this topic may be an effective way to achieve this. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Oral Health Behaviours and Their Predictors in Children)

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11 pages, 298 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Socioeconomic Inequalities and Toothbrushing Frequency among Schoolchildren Aged 6 to 12 Years in a Multi-Site Study of Mexican Cities: A Cross-Sectional Study

by Gladys Remigia Acuña-González, Juan Alejandro Casanova-Sarmiento, Horacio Islas-Granillo, Sonia Márquez-Rodríguez, David Benítez-Valladares, Martha Mendoza-Rodríguez, Rubén de la Rosa-Santillana, José de Jesús Navarrete-Hernández, Carlo Eduardo Medina-Solís and Gerardo Maupomé

Children 2022, 9(7), 1069; https://doi.org/10.3390/children9071069 - 18 Jul 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1651

Abstract

Periodic toothbrushing is the most common, effective, and reliable way to mechanically remove biofilm from oral tissues. The objective of the present study was to determine the association between toothbrushing frequency and socioeconomic position for schoolchildren between 6 and 12 years of age in four cities in Mexico. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 500 Mexican schoolchildren between 6 and 12 years of age from public schools in four Mexican cities. Questionnaires were administered to the parents/guardians of the schoolchildren to obtain the variables included in the study. The dependent variable was toothbrushing frequency, dichotomized as: 0 = less than twice a day and 1 = at least twice a day. The analysis was performed in Stata. The average age of the schoolchildren was 8.9 ± 1.9 years; 50.4% were female. The prevalence of toothbrushing was 52.8% (at least twice a day) (95% CI = 48.4−57.1). In the multivariate model, the variables associated (p < 0.05) with toothbrushing frequency were older age of the schoolchild (OR = 1.14); younger age of the mother (OR = 0.93); being a girl (OR = 1.70); being enrolled in Seguro Popular (OR = 0.69); being in a household that was owned (OR = 2.43); and being a schoolchild who lived in a home that owned a car (OR = 1.31). The prevalence of toothbrushing at least twice a day was just over 50% in these Mexican children. We found demographic and socioeconomic variables to be associated with toothbrushing. Based on socioeconomic variables that were associated with toothbrushing frequency—such as health insurance, home ownership and the household owning a car—the results of the present study confirm the existence of health inequalities in toothbrushing frequency. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Oral Health Behaviours and Their Predictors in Children)

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19 pages, 1007 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

by Federica Di Spirito, Alessandra Amato, Maria Pia Di Palo, Giuseppe A. Ferraro, Adone Baroni, Rosario Serpico and Maria Contaldo

Children 2022, 9(12), 1942; https://doi.org/10.3390/children9121942 - 10 Dec 2022

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2276

Abstract

In addition to the direct impact of the SARS-CoV-2 infection, the COVID-19 pandemic reports multiple effects on people’s health and psycho-physical well-being. In the dental field, oral hygiene sessions, regular dental check-ups, and aerosol-generating procedures were commonly postponed, thus resulting in repercussions on oral health also favored by the changing eating and oral hygiene habits during the multiple lockdowns. Furthermore, dental settings and practices were generally perceived as at high risk for SARS-CoV-2 transmission, thus unsafe, and by general and pediatric dentists themselves. Last, the consequences of stress related to deprivation of social life and playful activities should not be underestimated in children, exposing them to the deleterious effects of bad oral habits, with repercussions on the balanced growth and development of the stomatognathic system. The present work intends to analyze the medium-term and long-term impact of COVID-19 on pediatric oral and dental care provision, reviewing pediatric dentistry practice and oral and dental needs of pedodontics patients during the first peak and the various waves of the COVID-19 pandemic, and lessons learned. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Oral Health Behaviours and Their Predictors in Children)

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