Ukaipō niho: the place of nurturing for oral health

Abstract

Objectives: To report on oral-health-related characteristics, beliefs, and behaviours among participants in a randomised control trial of an intervention to prevent early childhood caries (ECC) among Māori children, and to determine whether there were any systematic differences between the intervention and control groups at baseline.

Design: Baseline measurements from a randomised control trial (involving 222 pregnant Māori women allocated randomly to either Intervention or Delayed groups) which is currently underway.

Setting: The rohe (tribal area) of Waikato-Tainui.

Methods: Self-report information collected on sociodemographic characteristics, pregnancy details, self-reported general and oral health and health-related behaviours, and oral health beliefs.

Results: Other than those in the Delayed group being slightly older, on average, there were no significant differences between the two groups. Some 37.0% were expecting their first child. Most reported good health; 43.6% were current smokers, and 26.4% had never smoked. Only 8.2% were current users of alcohol. Almost all were dentate, and 57.7% described their oral health as fair or poor. One in six had had toothache in the previous year; 33.8% reported being uncomfortable about the appearance of their teeth, and 27.7% reported difficulty in eating. Dental service-use was relatively low and symptom-related; 78.9% needed to see a dentist. Overall, most of the sample believed that it was important to avoid sweet foods, visit dentists and to brush the teeth, while about half thought that using fluoride toothpaste and using floss were important. Some 38.2% felt that drinking fluoridated water was important. Oral-health-related fatalism was apparent, with 74.2% believing that most people usually get dental problems, 58.6% believing that most people will need extractions at some stage, and that most children eventually get dental caries.

Conclusions: Mothers' important role in nurturing the well-being of the young child includes the protection and maintenance of the growing child's oral health (or ukaipo niho). The findings provide important insights into Māori mothers' oral health knowledge, beliefs and practices.