J Korean Community Nurs.  2004 Dec;15(4):618-627.

Oral Health Behavior and Dental Health Status of Preschool Children

• Moon JS
• Song BS
• Park SN

Abstract

PURPOSE
To investigate the dental health status of kindergarten children according to their oral health behavior. METHOD: The subjects were 172 kindergarten children aged 5. A structured questionnaire was used for dental health behavior (and oral health status were examined by dentist and bacteria in salivary. RESULT: 1. Mean score of oral health behavior of children was 4.69 points (SD1.65) with the highest score being 13. No significant differences were observed according to sex, except using tooth paste. A total 71.5% of subjects brushed their tooth twice a day, 9.9% of them once a day, 18.6% of them three times a day. 19.2% of children brushed their teeth after breakfast and lunch, 89.5% of then after dinner, 5.8% of them before going to bed. 18.6% of children brushed correctly, 79.7% of them used tooth paste with fluorine, 3.5% of them regularly examined oral cavity, 84.4% of them took cariogenic food without any restrain. (67.1% of them were observed with oral cavity by their mother. 2. Streptococcus mutans and lactobacilli in the saliva was 3.66 (x106 CFU/ml) and 1.05 (x103 CFU/ml), respectively. No significant differences were observed according to sex, while lactobacilli were significantly lower in those children who had regular dental examinations. 3. The index of plaque was 1.56 and the boys were significantly higher than the girls. The mean dft was 4.99. No significant differences were observed according to sex, while the children whose oral cavity was observed regular were significantly lower than those who were not observed.
CONCLUSION
As a whole the practice of oral health behavior of the kindergarten children was poor, and regular dental examinations and oral cavity observations affect their dental health status. These results suggest that intensive dental health education was needed not only for the pre-school children but also their parents and teachers.

MeSH Terms

Bacteria
Breakfast
Child
Child, Preschool*
Dentists
Female
Fluorine
Health Behavior
Health Education, Dental
Humans
Lunch
Meals
Mothers
Mouth
Oral Health*
Parents
Surveys and Questionnaires
Saliva
Streptococcus mutans
Tooth
Fluorine