Infant oral health care: a survey of general dentists, pediatric dentists, and pediatricians in Virginia

PURPOSE: This study's purpose was to examine the current knowledge, attitudes, and experiences related to infant oral health for dental and medical providers in Virginia. METHODS: A survey of infant oral health care was sent to: (a) 300 randomly selected general dentists; (b) 300 randomly selected pediatricians; and (c) all pediatric dentists in Virginia. Survey respondents were tabulated, and percent frequency distributions for responses to each item were computed. RESULTS: The surveys return rate was 48%. A total of 100% of pediatric dentists treated infants and were more likely to recommend that children be seen by age 1 (P < .001). All pediatricians treated infants as well, while only 5% referred for the first dental visit by 1 year of age. Forty-five percent of general dentists surveyed treated infants, and only 12% referred for the first dental visit by 1 year of age. The logistic regression results indicated that there were differences between practitioner type regarding the recommended age of the first dental visit and years in practice. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of pediatricians and general dentists are not advising patients to see the dentist by 1 year of age. There is a need for increased infant oral health care education in the medical and dental communities.     

Oral health in the pediatric practice setting: a survey of Washington State pediatricians

BACKGROUND: Pediatric health care providers may be the only source of preventive oral health education for families of young children who lack access to professional dental care. OBJECTIVE: We surveyed Washington State pediatricians in order to characterize their oral health-related educational needs and anticipatory guidance practices. METHODS: A 38-question survey was mailed to all 606 general pediatricians in Washington State. Topics included anticipatory practices and confidence in oral health-related activities. RESULTS: Of 483 eligible participants, 271 returned completed surveys (response rate: 57%). A median of 30 percent of the well-child visit was devoted to providing anticipatory guidance. A majority (83.7%) of respondents reported providing anticipatory guidance on oral health. CONCLUSION: Washington State pediatricians are already involved in providing oral health anticipatory guidance. Certain factors are identified that should be addressed to allow pediatricians to promote oral health more effectively.     

Dental fear and anxiety and oral health behaviour in 12‐ to 14‐year‐olds born preterm

International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry 2010; 20: 391–399 Background. An enhanced frequency of cognitive and behavioural disturbances has been reported in preterm children. It is not known if this affects their perceptions of or behaviour in the dental care situation. Hypothesis. The hypotheses were that preterm (PT) children aged 12–14 years more often exhibit dental fear and anxiety (DFA) than full‐term controls (C), while no differences were expected regarding oral health behaviour. Methods. One hundred and nine PT and 108 C children took part in the present questionnaire study. DFA was assessed using the Children’s Fear Survey Schedule – Dental Subscale (CFSS‐DS). In addition the questionnaire covered items including satisfaction with received dental care, oral health behaviour and medical health. Results. The children’s CFSS‐DS scores revealed no differences between the PT and C groups. Regarding oral health behaviour there were no differences, except that PT children more often used dental floss and extra fluoride supplements. PT children reported more medical health problems than C children. Conclusions. Preterm (PT) children 12‐ to 14‐years‐old, as well as C of same age group, seem to be satisfied with their dental care and display low prevalence of DFA. Still, a higher frequency of medical health problems in the PT children suggests that these children should be regarded as potential risk patients for oral health problems.     

The dental patient with asthma. An update and oral health considerations

OVERVIEW: Asthma is a serious global health problem that has steadily increased in prevalence during the past two decades. New classification and treatment guidelines have been published, and dental providers need to be aware of these changes. LITERATURE REVIEWED: The authors searched textbooks and MEDLINE, looking for the most updated medical information on asthma, as well as for previous publications on treatment of asthmatic patients in a dental setting. RESULTS: More than 9,000 articles on asthma were published in English between 1997 and 2000. From 1960 until 2000, approximately 40 articles specifically addressed asthma and dental care. The authors reviewed more than 300 articles from the medical literature and all articles after 1980 that directly focused on oral health issues for importance and relevance. CONCLUSIONS: Recent information regarding the etiology, pathogenesis and treatment of asthma had not been adequately addressed in the dental literature. Dental care of asthmatic patients may necessitate considerations beyond what has previously been published in the dental literature. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: In the treatment of asthma, as with treatment of most medical conditions, oral health care providers play a role that is important in terms of both the patient's overall health and the systemic condition's effect on oral health. This article provides dentists with a timely update on asthma and the relationship between asthma and oral health, and it offers suggestions for safe and appropriate dental care.     

Caries risk assessment appropriate for the age 1 visit (infants and toddlers)

This article discusses caries management by risk assessment for children age 0-5. Risk assessment is the first step in a comprehensive protocol for infant oral care. The program includes opportunities to establish a "dental home" and provide guidance for improved health outcomes. Risk assessment forms, instructions for use, and guidance-related education points have been included. Collaboration among all health professionals regarding early and timely intervention to promote children's oral health and disease prevention is emphasized.     

Female sex hormones and periodontal health-awareness among gynecologists – A questionnaire survey

Sex hormones play an important role in periodontal health and disease. For example, puberty, menses, pregnancy, menopause, and oral contraceptive use influence a woman’s periodontal health. Periodontal infection has also been associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Subsequently, it is important that gynecologists are educated about hormonal effects on women’s oral health. The current study assessed gynecologist’s awareness regarding the effect of female sex hormones on periodontal health, preterm delivery, and maternal periodontal disease.MethodsGynecologists from the Bagalkot district of the Karnataka state, India, completed a questionnaire regarding female hormonal and periodontal health. Respondents were divided into two groups: Group A (doctors that practiced at a medical college or hospital) and Group B (doctors that practiced at private hospitals). Out of 73 gynecologists, 62 (85%) completed the survey, with 19 (30.6%) participants in Group A and 43 (69.4%) participants in Group B. Survey responses were collected in the presence of the investigator, and data between the groups were statistically compared.ResultsOur findings showed that most gynecologists were aware and concerned about female patient’s oral health during various hormonal phases. However, gynecologists practicing at medical colleges and hospitals (Group A) had significantly greater health awareness than doctors practicing at private hospitals (Group B).ConclusionWomen have special periodontal health care considerations, and there is a need for better oral health education among caregivers. Our results suggest that increasing dental health awareness among gynecologists would significantly improve women’s health and pregnancy outcomes.     

Oral health of children with congenital cardiac diseases: a controlled study.

Congenital cardiac disease (CCD) is one of the most common developmental anomalies in children. Affected children require special care in dentistry because of their susceptibility to infective endocarditis from oral infections, yet little information is available on the oral health of children with CCD. The present study, which investigated 39 children with CCD and 33 healthy control siblings, showed that CCD children generally suffered poorer oral health. In patients with primary dentitions, 52% of CCD children had enamel hypoplasia, compared with only 23% in the control group. In addition, CCD children had significantly more teeth with untreated dental decay (mean dmft 4.2 vs. 2.3), and more endodontically treated teeth. Children with CCD also had less than optimal professional and home dental care. Only 31% had professional advice regarding increased preventive dental health behavior, and only 15% used fluoride supplements, although the children resided in a nonfluoridated area. Furthermore, significantly fewer CCD children had parental help with tooth brushing compared to control children. This study shows that children with CCD should be targeted for vigorous preventive dental care.     

Efficacy of educational interventions targeting primary care providers' practice behaviors: an overview of published systematic reviews

OBJECTIVES: Primary care providers (e.g., family physicians, pediatricians, registered nurses, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners) could play a pivotal role in the provision of preventive services, especially for very young children (younger than 3 years old) and population groups with limited access to dental care. Given the current problems with access to dental care among low-income Americans, we contend there is a need to involve nondental primary health care providers in screening for and preventing oral health problems. The objective of this overview is to present findings from systematic reviews on the efficacy of continuing medical education, printed educational material, academic outreach, reminders, and local opinion leaders on the adoption of new knowledge and practices by primary care providers. METHODS: A search was conducted using the Cochrane Library and MEDLINE. The search aimed to locate systematic reviews published between January 1988 and March 2003. Two researchers independently extracted data and assessed study quality using a modified version of the QUOROM statement. RESULTS: Eleven systematic reviews were included in this overview. The evidence from the included systematic reviews showed that formal continuing medical education (CME) and distributing educational materials did not effectively change primary care providers' behaviors. There are effective interventions available to increase knowledge and change behaviors of primary care providers, such as small group discussion, interactive workshops, educational outreach visits, and reminders. CONCLUSION: There is a limited knowledge base on the efficacy of the selected interventions on oral health screening by primary care providers. Considering the potential role of primary care providers in improving oral health of underserved populations, this research area should receive more attention.     

Access to oral health services for urban low-income Latino children: social ecological influences

Objectives: Using an ecological conceptual model, this study examined the social context, structural, and behavioral factors within an immigrant community that contribute to increased access and use of oral health services by Latino children. The predictors of health service use at the level of the individual, the family, the provider, and the health service system were studied for their effects on the initiation of care, continuity of care, and frequency of planned visits. Methods: In‐depth face‐to‐face interviews were conducted with 320 Latino mothers regarding their use of oral health services for 4‐8‐year‐old children [Mexican (n = 221), Puerto Rican (n = 69), and Central and South American (n = 30)]. Outcome measures of dental care utilization were early age at initiation of care, continuity of care, and frequency of planned dental visits. Results: Regular planned dental visits were significantly related to the structural variables of household income and provider availability. The initiation of dental care was related to the mother's beliefs about the value of early preventive dental care. Mothers were more likely to continue care if they believed that the purpose was to keep the child's teeth healthy and had satisfactory communication with the dentist. Conclusions: Identifying the structural and behavioral factors that increase the likelihood of the use of oral health services can provide the basis for developing effective interventions specific to Latino children at the neighborhood level. The study findings can be also used for designing culturally appropriate oral health promotion programs and provider coordination of care.     

A role for the family in children's oral health

A large percentage of children from families of low socioeconomic status are still affected by early childhood caries. Barriers to receiving adequate dental care in these populations can include high costs of dental treatment, lack of insurance coverage, an insufficient number of dentists treating these children, as well as parental perceptions and motivation. This paper explores the role of parental perception on oral health and subsequent behaviors and how it ultimately affects the dental care of children. An emphasis is placed on increasing parent education and awareness regarding their children's oral health as well as their own.     

Parental perspectives on preterm children's oral health behaviour and experience of dental care during preschool and early school years

Background.  Children born preterm (PT) have medical conditions and impairments that may affect their oral health.
Hypothesis.  Our hypothesis for the study was that PT children display more dental behaviour management problems (BMPs) and less favourable oral health behaviour than controls (C).
Methods.  Parents of 153 PT children and 153 C children were interviewed regarding the children's oral health behaviour and experience of dental care on two occasions, 2 years apart. The interviews concerned the preschool period and the early school years, respectively.
Results.  BMPs were more common in PT children of preschool age, but not during the early school years. Regarding oral health behaviour, there were no differences between the groups, except that PT children had more problems with toothbrushing than C children in the preschool period, in spite of the fact that the PT group reported more medical health problems and more anxious behaviour and indications of cognitive problems than the C group.
Conclusions.  Children born PT exhibit several risk factors for both BMP and impaired oral health. It is essential that this group of patients is identified early and receives special attention from the dental services.     

Access to dental care for Head Start enrollees

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this review are to characterize the oral health and dental access of Head Start children, describe barriers to their care, advance strategies to address those barriers, and consider how Head Start Performance Standards can be utilized to maximize oral health and access to dental care. METHODS: Published, programmatic, and solicited data describing oral health status and dental service utilization are reviewed together with reports of conferences exploring access barriers. Head Start performance measures for child health and development services, child health and safety, family partnerships, and community partnerships are individually evaluated for their potential to improve oral health. RESULTS: Head Start children, like all low-income children, enjoy the highest rates of dental coverage (because of Medicaid and the State Child Health Insurance Program), yet these children also experience the highest rates of tooth decay, the most unmet dental care needs, the highest rates of dental pain, and the fewest dental visits. Getting children the dental care they need is problematic because of: multiple barriers associated with public and private dental delivery systems, Medicaid program funding and administration, dental workforce sufficiency and distribution, and issues of culture and communication that stand between parents, children, and caregivers. CONCLUSIONS: To move beyond screening and to access necessary dental care requires integration between medical and dental care, recognition and elimination of barriers to care, an understanding of dental provider types and their capacities, a formally structured referral process, and regular monitoring to ensure that complete care is obtained. Action steps are suggested that can maximize the effectiveness of Head Start Performance Standards. Head Start holds tremendous potential to actively develop and implement policies that can markedly improve both access to needed dental services and the oral health status of young disadvantaged children.     

Characteristics of publicly insured children with high dental expenses

BACKGROUND: Dental coverage is provided for all children with Medicaid in Washington State. The goal of this study was to illuminate the characteristics of a sample of Medicaid-enrolled children with high dental expenses. METHODS: Dental care utilization data for a 33-month period were obtained from Washington State's Medicaid database. For children, 0 to 6 years, these data were linked with a parent survey addressing oral health behaviors, knowledge, family history of caries, snacking patterns, and access to dental care. Children with dental expenses of $1,000 or more were classified as the "high-expense" group. Risk factors for the high-expense group were evaluated using multiple logistic regression. RESULTS: 345 children had at least one dental procedure including preventive and diagnostic care. Among these, 30 children (9 percent) incurred 64 percent of total dental expenses for the entire group. Parent perception of lack of dental coverage was associated with incurring high dental expenses. Children of Asian or Pacific Islander heritage were at disproportionately high risk compared to White children. Age of child and family history of caries were also associated with increased risk for high expenses. CONCLUSIONS: Not all low-income children on Medicaid are at high risk for caries. A combination of factors, including family history of caries and parent's perception of lack of dental insurance coverage, can potentially increase a child's likelihood for high-expense dental treatment. This study highlighted a small group of children with disproportionately high dental expenses. For some, earlier knowledge of coverage may have resulted in more timely access to preventive and diagnostic care, reducing the subsequent need for expensive restorative treatment.     

Oral health provisions in U.S. health care reform

BackgroundDuring 2009, both chambers of the U.S. Congress passed health care reform bills that contained a variety of provisions specific to oral health and dental care. In March 2010, the Senate version—the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (referred to as the Affordable Care Act [ACA])—was signed into law.MethodsThe authors establish the context for ACA dental provisions by reviewing prior federal legislation pertaining to dental coverage. They analyze the final U.S. House and Senate health care reform bills for their oral health content and draw observations regarding congressional interest in oral health.ResultsThe authors identify and describe more than 30 provisions of direct relevance to dentistry within the domains of insurance coverage, dental workforce, safety net, prevention and surveillance. Although the two bills differed in many details, both address oral health infrastructure and delivery of care, with particular attention to underserved child and adolescent populations.ConclusionsThe oral health provisions in the health care reform bills evidenced strong congressional interest in oral health and dental care, with an emphasis on equitable care for children.Practice ImplicationsThe effect of each congressional action on the future of dental practice will depend on how the provisions are regulated and implemented. The dental profession needs to recognize the strong and ongoing interest of lawmakers in oral health care and must maintain active engagement in the policymaking process.     

Oral health status of mississippi delta 3- to 5-year-olds in child care: an exploratory study of dental health status and risk factors for dental disease and treatment needs

OBJECTIVES: For poor and minority young children, disparities exist in dental health and treatment. In rural impoverished areas, institutions that reach young children and potentially offer access to care are limited. In the current Mississippi Delta study, child care centers were examined as potential venues for oral health intervention and research, and potential risk factors for dental caries and treatment urgency in high-risk preschool children were explored. METHODS: Child care centers were selected and attending children recruited. Data on oral health practices were collected from surveys of center directors and parents/caregivers. Children were examined for caries and treatment urgency at centers by dentists. Bivariate and multivariate analyses with a 0. 05 alpha were used to examine data. RESULTS: A total of 346 preschool children at 15 participating centers were examined: 46% were female, 68% minority. Minority children and those with public insurance were more than twice as likely to have caries and urgent treatment needs as non-minorities or those with private insurance. The odds of children having caries were half as great if parents reported using floss and nearly twice as great if the parent had experienced a dental abscess. For every soft drink the parent consumed daily, the odds of dental caries for children increased by 44%. CONCLUSIONS: Conducting oral health exams and research in child care venues was possible, yet presented challenges. The combined use of two parental variables, reported soft drink consumption and abscess history, appears promising for caries prediction. Implementation of oral health programs and research in child care venues merits further exploration.     

Sociobehavioral factors influencing toothbrushing frequency among schoolchildren

BACKGROUND: Toothbrushing may help prevent some oral health diseases considered to be public health problems--in particular, certain presentations of chronic periodontal diseases and dental caries. The authors conducted a study to identify variables associated with frequency of toothbrushing with toothpaste among schoolchildren aged 6 to 12 years. METHODS: The authors collected data regarding sociodemographic, socioeconomic, oral hygiene and attitudinal variables through a cross-sectional questionnaire administered to 1,373 schoolchildren from Campeche, Mexico. They categorized toothbrushing frequency as "two times a day or fewer" and "three times a day or more." The authors used logistic regression to analyze the data. RESULTS: Multivariate analyses showed that girls (odds ratio [OR]=1.41), older children (OR=1.07) and offspring of mothers with higher levels of schooling (OR=1.07) were more likely to brush more frequently. The results showed an interaction between the attitude of the mother toward oral health and the use of dental care in the previous 12 months. When mothers had a positive attitude, the likelihood of their children's brushing more frequently was higher among those who received dental care in the previous 12 months (OR=2.43; P 相似文献   

用LogisitcL回归模型研究影响口腔保健需求的因素

目的：测量北京市城区居民牙科服务就诊概率的影响因素,建立口腔保健就诊概率模型,为预测未来口腔保健需求量,建立合理有效的口腔保健服务体系提供依据。方法：分层、整群、随机抽样北京市区实际人口中所有年龄组1517人进行调查,用LogisitcL回归建立口腔保健需求的第一部模型－就诊概率模型。结果：认识是影响就诊概率的最主要因素,R值为0．36,OR值为48．79。医生教师、7－14岁儿童、出现明显疼痛症状或影响功能疾病及社会经济因素对就诊概率有较大影响。结论：口腔卫生服务领域存在与医疗服务需求有所不同的作用机制。人们的牙科服务利用主要取决于其对疾病的认识以及收入和保障制度的高低。     

The association between low-socioeconomic status mother's Sense of Coherence and their child's utilization of dental care

da Silva AN, Mendonça MH, Vettore MV. The association between low‐socioeconomic status mother’s Sense of Coherence and their child’s utilization of dental care. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 2011; 39: 115–126. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S Abstract – Objectives: The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship of low‐socioeconomic status mother’s Sense of Coherence (SOC) and their child’s utilization of dental care services in a city of Southeast Brazil. Methods: A cross‐sectional study was conducted on a sample of 190 schoolchildren aged 11–12 and their mothers in Sao João de Meriti‐RJ, Southeast Brazil. The outcome variables were children’s use of dental care services and visiting dentists mainly for check‐ups. Demographic and socioeconomic characteristics and data regarding children’s dental care use were collected through interviews with mothers. Children’s oral health‐related behaviours as well as dental status (DMFS index), dental pain, Visible Dental Plaque and Bleeding on Probing Index were registered. Mother’s SOC was assessed through the validated short version (13‐item) of Antonovsky’s scale. Multiple logistic regression was used in the data analysis. Results: Of the mothers, 81.1% reported on their child’s utilization of dental care services. Of them, 42.9% considered check‐ups as the main reason for taking their children to dental services. Children whose mothers had higher levels of SOC were more likely to utilize dental care services (OR = 2.08 95%CI = 1.17–3.64) and visit a dentist mainly for check‐ups (except for dental treatment) (OR = 2.02 95%CI = 1.06–3.81) than those whose mothers had lower levels of SOC. These findings were adjusted for socioeconomic status, children’s oral health‐related behaviours and oral health measures. Conclusions: Mother’s SOC was a psychosocial factor associated with their child’s pattern of use of dental care services in low‐socioeconomic status families.     

Oral health of children in South Australia by socio-demographic characteristics and choice of provider

Australia has a highly developed school dental program for providing dental care to schoolchildren which operates alongside well-established private practice delivery of dental care. While free school-based dental care has high utilisation where offered, little is known about the oral health outcomes of groups of children across different providers of dental care, or patterns of service use. This paper investigates the effects of socio-demographic characteristics and choice of dental provider on oral health amongst a random sample of secondary school students residing in Adelaide, South Australia. Objectives: To describe the oral health of children by different dental provider groups; to describe the association of socio-demographic characteristics with oral health outcomes; and to describe the differences in oral health that remained after controlling for socio-demographic confounding, by dental provider group. Methods: The study included metropolitan Adelaide schoolchildren from Year 9 and 10 school grades (n=373). Results: Children who received care from the School Dental Service (SDS) and from both the SDS and private dentists (Mixed) had significantly lower caries experience (DMFS) than children who received care from private dentists (Private) or who had not received any care for at least 2 years (No Recent Care). There were differences in the socio-demographic characteristics between children who used different dental providers, and these socio-demographic characteristics were significantly associated with levels of decayed, missing and filled surfaces and surfaces which had been fissure sealed. After controlling for socio-demographic characteristics using multiple regression, significant differences were seen in mean caries experience (DMFS) and mean numbers of decayed surfaces and filled surfaces. Conclusion: Although from less advantaged backgrounds, children seen through the SDS had more favourable oral health outcomes than children seen by a private dentist.     

Oral healthcare of preschool children in Trinidad: a qualitative study of parents and caregivers

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Little is known about oral health in early childhood in the West Indies or the views and experiences of caregivers about preventive oral care and dental attendance The aims of this study were to explore and understand parents and caregivers experience of oral healthcare for their preschool aged child and how, within their own social context, this may have shaped their oral health attitudes and behaviours. These data can be used to inform oral health promotion strategies for this age group. METHOD: After ethical approval, a qualitative study was undertaken using a focus group approach with a purposive sample of parents and caregivers of preschool children in central Trinidad. Group discussions were initiated by use of a topic guide. Audio recording and field notes from the three focus groups, with a total of 17 participants, were transcribed and analysed using a thematic approach. RESULTS: Despite some ambivalence toward the importance of the primary teeth, the role of fluoride and confusion about when to take a child for their first dental visit, most participants understood the need to ensure good oral hygiene and dietary habits for their child. Problems expressed included, overcoming their own negative experiences of dental care, along with finding affordable and suitable dental care for their child. There was difficulty in establishing good brushing routines and controlling sweet snacking in the face of many other responsibilities at home. Lack of availability of paediatric dental services locally and information on oral health care were also highlighted. Many expressed a need for more contact with dental professionals in non-clinic settings, for oral health care advice and guidance. CONCLUSION: Parents and caregivers in this qualitative study showed generally positive attitudes towards oral health but appear to have encountered several barriers and challenges to achieving ideal preventive care for their child, with respect to healthy diet, good oral, hygiene and dental attendance. Oral health promotion should include effective dissemination of oral health information, more practical health advice and greater access to dental care for families with preschool children. KEYWORDS: Preschool children, oral health, parents, caregivers, qualitative, focus groups, West Indies.