Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of Primary School Teachers Towards Oral Health in Mchinji District, Malawi.

Abstract

Background: Oral health is an essential component of overall well-being, yet it remains a neglected public health area in many low- and middle-income countries. Teachers play a vital role in shaping students' oral health behaviours, making their knowledge and practices crucial for school-based oral health promotion. This study assessed the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding oral health among primary school teachers in Mchinji District, Malawi, to evaluate their readiness to support oral health education.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 316 primary school teachers using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics summarized demographic and KAP variables, while chi-square tests and Cramér's V measured associations between demographic characteristics and oral health knowledge and practices.

Results: Among participants, 60.0% were male, 61.4% were aged 30-45 years, and 61.9% had more than 10 years of teaching experience. While 63.6% demonstrated average oral health knowledge and 29.4% showed good knowledge, awareness of preventive dental procedures such as dental scaling (26.7%) and flossing (14.2%) was low. Most teachers (82.2%) exhibited average oral hygiene practices, and only 10.2% had good practice scores. Although positive attitudes were widespread, with over 90% recognizing the importance of oral health and regular dental visits, only 26.4% had received oral health training, and 68.5% identified limited knowledge as a barrier to teaching oral health. Age was significantly associated with knowledge level (p = 0.007, Cramér's V = 0.152), while gender and teaching experience were not.

Conclusion: Primary school teachers in Mchinji District hold positive attitudes toward oral health but display knowledge and practice gaps. Strengthening teacher training through structured oral health capacity-building programs could enhance school-based health education and inform policies that integrate oral health into Malawi's primary school curriculum.