Title
Author
DOI
Article Type
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Exploring child and family-level influences on oral hygiene practices (OHP)—a qualitative study from South India
1Centre for Early Childhood Caries Research (CECCRe), Sri Ramachandra Dental College and Hospital, 600116 Chennai, India
2Department of Orthodontics and Paediatric Dentistry, University of Maryland School of Dentistry, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
3Department of Public Health Dentistry, Sri Ramachandra Dental College and Hospital, 600116 Chennai, India
4Department of Paediatric Dentistry, UWA Dental School, 6009 Perth, WA, Australia
5Samarth, 600004 Chennai, India
6Department of Paediatrics, Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Institute, 600116 Chennai, India
7Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, 600116 Chennai, India
DOI: 10.22514/jocpd.2025.075 Vol.49,Issue 4,July 2025 pp.48-58
Submitted: 02 October 2024 Accepted: 14 November 2024
Published: 03 July 2025
*Corresponding Author(s): Muthu Murugan E-mail: muthumurugan@sriramachandra.edu.in
*Corresponding Author(s): Latha Nirmal E-mail: lathanirmal@sriramachandra.edu.in
Background: Early Childhood Caries (ECC) is a global oral health issue that can be effectively prevented through improved oral health literacy and practices. Parental beliefs, attitudes, and cultural factors significantly influence children’s adoption of oral hygiene practices (OHP). Recent literature indicates a knowledge gap among parents and caregivers regarding these practices. Methods: This qualitative study explored traditional oral health beliefs, perspectives, and practices among parents and caregivers of children aged 0-3 years, both with and without ECC. Data was collected through 24 semi-structured interviews and 2 focus group discussions. Additionally, information on oral health practices and health-seeking behaviors was gathered to gain in-depth insights. The research was guided by the Fisher-Owen’s model, focusing on child and family-level influences. Results: Audio recordings were analyzed using thematic analysis with NVivo software. The analysis revealed two main themes related to child-level influences and three under family-level influences. Findings indicated that child-and family-level determinants contribute to inadequate OHP. These include the child’s tender age and poor cooperation with OHP, coupled with parents’ limited awareness of oral hygiene’s importance, specifically regarding tooth brushing methods, toothpaste use, and fluoride’s role in ECC prevention, nighttime brushing, and poor self-efficacy. Conclusions: Preventing ECC necessitates attitudinal and behavioral changes among parents and caregivers. These observations highlight a lack of knowledge about oral health and OHP among parents, underscoring the need for enhanced parental awareness and understanding through educational programs and the development of effective oral health policies to improve oral health outcomes in young children.
Early childhood caries; Parental perceptions; Oral hygiene practices; Qualitative study
Muthu Murugan,Vineet Dhar,Latha Nirmal,Ankita M Saikia,Shuba Kumar,Rani Mohanraj,Umapathy Pasupathy,Kalpana Balakrishnan. Exploring child and family-level influences on oral hygiene practices (OHP)—a qualitative study from South India. Journal of Clinical Pediatric Dentistry. 2025. 49(4);48-58.
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