Assessment of parents' attitudes and practices of oral hygiene in a group of preschool children attending to pediatric outpatient departments in istanbul, Türkiye

This cross-sectional study aimed to assess parents' attitudes and practices of oral hygiene in a group of preschool children attending two different paediatric outpatient departments in Istanbul, Türkiye. Parents of children under six attending the Paediatric Outpatient Departments of, Istanbul, were included. A self-administered questionnaire was designed in two parts: parents' demographic information and attitudes and practices of oral hygiene for their children. Statistical analyses were done using the chi-square test, and multiple comparisons were examined using the Z test with Bonferroni correction. The results were evaluated at a significance level of p<0.05. Two hundred three parents with a mean age of 36.15±5.57 participated in the study. Most parents reported their children brushed their teeth once daily and started toothbrushing within a few months to a year after the eruption. The majority of parents supervised their children during toothbrushing by giving verbal instructions. Paediatricians and dentists were reported as the primary sources of information regarding oral hygiene. Most children were using toothpaste and started toothbrushing between the ages of 1 to 3 years. The reasons for using toothpaste were reported primarily as preventing dental caries. Most parents selected their children's toothpaste by considering the contents of the toothpaste organic or herbal ingredients were the main consideration. It was concluded that it would be beneficial for parents to have more information about their children's correct oral hygiene behaviours and the importance of using fluoridated toothpaste at an early age and receiving education at the earliest possible period to improve and develop children's oral and dental health.