Effects of dental health education for mothers with young children in London

Abstract

Dental health education for mothers with young children is thought to be capable of achieving a high standard of dental health for these children. This study considers the dental health of a sample of 5-yr-old children whose mothers were given dental health education at an early stage in their child's life. The dental health education was given to one group during home visits and to a second through leaflets sent by post. Comparisons were made with a third group of children whose mothers had been randomly selected to form a control group. Sixty-nine percent of children whose mothers were given advice at home were caries free, compared to 58% of children in the control group. Scores for gingivitis were also significantly lower in the first group. No significant differences in disease levels were seen between children whose mothers had been sent leaflets through the post and those in the control group. In relation to the use of fluoride supplements, 25% of the children whose mothers had been given personal advice received fluoride supplements regularly throughout the period of the study. Children of these highly motivated mothers showed less caries (83% were caries free) and lower levels of gingivitis than children who had never received supplements.