General dental practitioners’ approach to caries prevention in high-caries-risk children

A. Aljafari*, R. ElKarmi, J. Kussad, M. T. Hosey

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

7 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Aims: To evaluate the advice and preventive care provided by General Dental Practitioners (GDPs) to high-caries-risk children in Jordan. Methods: A cross-sectional study using an open-ended questionnaire. GDPs were presented with a high-caries-risk child scenario and asked regarding: (1) oral hygiene and dietary advice they would give; (2) preventive-care they would offer; (3) barriers they face in prevention delivery. Answers were compared to an evidence-based guideline. Data were input into SPSS-20 and analysed using descriptive statistics and frequencies. Chi-square test was used to compare results by age, gender, practice location and type. Results: One-hundred and sixty GDPs were approached and 128 agreed to participate (80%), of whom 87 (69%) were female. The average age was 31 years [range 22–50]. Sixty-nine percent practiced in the capital, Amman. Sixty-five percent gave advice on tooth-brushing frequency, but only 23% suggested brushing at bed-time and 24% recommended parental supervision. None provided advice on toothpaste fluoride content. Seventy-one percent advised reducing sugary-food amounts, but only 21% focused on frequency and 2% suggested using diet diaries. Most knew about fissure-sealants (77%) and fluoride-varnish (80%). Forty-two percent reported barriers to delivering preventive-care, including parental attitudes (36%), child cooperation (30%), financial reward (19%), and training (6%). Participants practicing outside of the capital were less likely to use fluoride-varnish [P = 0.002] and more likely to report barriers [P = 0.001]. Conclusions: Advice delivered by GDPs to high-caries-risk children in Jordan does not meet the standards of an evidence-based guideline. Future initiatives for oral-health-promotion should aim to address the barriers reported, especially outside the capital.

Original languageEnglish
JournalEuropean Archives of Paediatric Dentistry
DOIs
Publication statusAccepted/In press - 1 Jan 2020

Keywords

  • Caries prevention
  • Dentists
  • Early childhood caries
  • Oral health promotion

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