Evaluation of Home Connected Toothbrushing Education Program for Young Children in Gyeonggi Province

Abstract

Background/Objectives: This study evaluated the effect of home-connected toothbrushing education for young children living in a part of Gyeonggi Province.
 Methods: The program, comprising three steps, was repeated three times using the same educational theme. Step 1 involved visiting education with teaching tools by a dietician. Step 2 involved repeated education by a preschool teacher. Step 3 involved home education with a worksheet by main caregivers. The effects before and after education were evaluated for 161 infants (female, 95; male, 66) aged 2-6 years. Frequencies were calculated and a paired t-test was conducted to identify changes in behavior before and after home-connected toothbrushing education.
 Results: In terms of gender, the main caregivers comprised 151 women (93.8%) and 10 men (6.2%). Of these, 150 (93.2%) were mothers, 10 were fathers (6,2%), and 1 was a grandmother (0.6%) in terms of relationship to the children. The average score of oral healthcare knowledge of the main caregivers was 1.81 out of 2. A total of 46.6% of the children were educated at home more than once a day, 18.6% two to three times per week, 16.1% four to five times per week, 14.9% six to seven times per week, and 3.7% less than once a week. The frequency of “brushing teeth after meals” increased from an average of 1.72 days per week before education to 4.08 days per week after education (p<.001). However, the frequency of “brushing teeth more than three times a day” did not change following the education.
 Conclusion/Implications: Home-connected toothbrushing education may be effective in improving children’s oral health.