Effects of a Maternal Education Program on Children's Oral Health

Dental caries continues to be the most prevalent disease in children. Efforts have focused on disease prevention through education. Anticipatory guidance is used to educate mothers on child's oral health. However, mother's oral health is traditionally not included into the topics discussed during the first dental visit. Including education on maternal oral health is likely to affect mother's and child's oral health, based on the link between maternal and child's health.

Purpose:

This pilot project evaluated the effects of a standardized education program on mother's oral health incorporated into the traditional anticipatory guidance during child's first dental visit.

Methods:

Sixty children between 10 and 40 months of age and their mothers were included in this study. Saliva and plaque samples along with clinical exams were conducted on the child and the mother. Using a validated commercial test, Streptococcus mutants and Lactobacilli growth was determined. The subjects were randomly assigned to a control group with traditional anticipatory guidance and to the experimental group that included an additional education program on maternal oral health. Demographics and general health data was collected through a survey given to the mothers. Measured outcomes included reduction on bacterial growth and decrease in plaque levels at 2 weeks. A regression model was designed to evaluate the effects of the maternal oral health education on the measured outcomes.

Results:

Data showed that there was a significant decrease in bacterial growth after 2 weeks in both the mother and her child.

Conclusion:

The results of this study suggest that there is a positive effect on introducing a maternal health component into the traditional anticipatory guidance. However, there might be a need to re-enforce the maternal health aspects covered at subsequent recall appointments.

This project was funded by a research grant from OSP/UTHSCSA Grant No. 2007 URC Pilot 0010003029.