Knowledge and Practices for Early Childhood Caries Prevention among Parents of the Children Visiting King Abdulaziz University Pediatric Dental Clinics, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Ab s t r Ac t Aim: Children’s oral health maintenance is influenced by their parents’ knowledge and behaviors. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the knowledge and practices among parents for prevention of early childhood caries (ECC) in children. Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study interviewed the parents visiting the Pediatric Dental Clinic in King Abdulaziz University, Faculty of Dentistry (KAUFD), from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2018. The questionnaire was drafted based on the recommendations on strategies for ECC prevention by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry in 2018. Results: Of the 549 parents, 283 responded. The mean knowledge score for caries prevention was 2.29 (standard deviation = 1.26) out of 10. In addition, 13.8% of participants scored zero. Knowledge questions that showed the highest correct responses were those associated with fluoride application. However, only 96 (24.4%) participants were aware of fissure sealants, 48 (17%) participants knew that fissure sealants are applied to sound teeth, 35 (12.4%) participants knew the correct age of the first dental visit, and 157 (55.5%) participants practiced snacking between meals. Mothers showed significantly higher mean knowledge score compared with fathers (p < 0.001). In addition, the number of dental visits significantly correlated with the mean parental knowledge score (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Parental dental knowledge and practices were not satisfactory. Anticipatory guidance should be reinforced by oral healthcare providers on each dental visit. In addition, pediatricians and physicians could be involved in improving parental dental knowledge. Clinical significance: This study reported the level of knowledge and awareness of parents visiting the Pediatric Dental Clinic in KAUFD. It could be used as a reference for future community services and caries prevention programs conducted by oral healthcare services for children to prevent ECC.