Impact of Parental Knowledge on the Oral Hygiene Practices of Children in Urban Communities in Bangladesh
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54536/ajpehs.v3i2.6443Keywords:
Child Oral Health, Dental Caries, Education Level, Knowledge, Oral Hygiene, Parents, Practices, Urban BangladeshAbstract
Dental caries remains one of the most prevalent yet preventable chronic conditions affecting children in Bangladesh. Although parental influence is widely recognized as a key determinant of children’s oral hygiene behaviors, empirical evidence focusing on urban Bangladeshi populations remains limited. This study seeks to address this gap by examining the influence of parental knowledge on children’s oral hygiene practices in urban communities of Bangladesh. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 368 parents or primary caregivers selected through simple random sampling from major urban areas of Bangladesh. Data were collected using a validated structured questionnaire that assessed parental oral health knowledge, demographic characteristics, and children’s oral hygiene practices. Statistical analyses, including analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Chi-square tests, were employed to examine associations between parental characteristics and children’s oral hygiene behaviors. The findings revealed that parental education level and age were significant predictors of children’s oral hygiene practices. Parents with higher educational attainment and those aged 26–35 years were more likely to engage in early preventive oral health behaviors, including cleaning infants’ gum pads, caring for the first erupted tooth, and supervising toothbrushing. No significant gender-based differences were observed in parental knowledge levels. Across all groups, dentists were identified as the most trusted and reliable source of oral health information. This study provides context-specific evidence highlighting the critical role of parental knowledge in shaping children’s oral hygiene practices in urban Bangladesh. The findings support the integration of parent-centered oral health education into national child health and preventive dentistry initiatives to reduce the burden of childhood dental caries and improve long-term oral health outcomes.
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