Factors affecting parental and self-toothbrushing among 2-year-old Hong Kong children

Abstract

Objectives: to investigate the factors affecting practice of parental and self-toothbrushing among young children in Hong Kong. Methods: A clinical trial was conducted on generally healthy 1-year-old children and their parents, recruited from child day care centers or parenting education centers. Children were randomly allocated into a positive control group which received a brief oral health talk (Gp1) and two intervention groups which included oral health talk and training in parental toothbrushing, reinforced every 6 months, with or without semi-annual application of 5% NaF varnish (Gp2 or Gp3). At baseline and 1-year follow-up, parents were asked to complete a questionnaire about their child’s background and parent’s and child’s practice in brushing the child’s teeth.

Results: A total of 450 children with a mean age of 15 months were recruited at baseline and 429 (95%) children were followed up for 1 year. At the 1-year follow-up, proportions of children in Gp1, Gp2 and Gp3 who practiced self-toothbrushing twice or more daily were 46%, 48% and 46%, respectively (p=0.929). The proportions of parents in Gp1 to Gp3 who brushed their child’s teeth twice or more a day were 55%, 54% and 56%, respectively (p=0.942). Factors associated with the practice of twice daily parental or child’s self-toothbrushing were similar. These included parents’ oral health knowledge (p<0.01), parents’ education level (p<0.001), and household income (p<0.001), but not the group allocation in the trial.

Conclusions: Young children’s toothbrurshing behaviors were influenced by their socio-economic background, but not significantly improved by providing training on toothbrushing to their parents.

(Funded by Hong Kong Research Grants Council, Grant # HKU771709M)