Parental knowledge, awareness and competence about first permanent molars: their associations with clinical outcomes and oral health literacy

Background: Permanent first molars (PFMs) are essential for children’s oral development and long-term dentition, but their early eruption and high susceptibility to caries place them at risk, particularly when parental knowledge and awareness are limited. This study aimed to investigate parental knowledge, awareness, and competence regarding permanent first molars (PFMs) and their associations with children’s clinical outcomes, parental oral health literacy, and behavioral factors. Methods: A total of 135 parent-child dyads were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Data were collected from hospital records and an interviewer-administered questionnaire assessing parental knowledge, awareness, and competence regarding PFMs, parental oral health literacy, parent- and child-related sociodemographic characteristics, and children’s oral health behaviors. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate analyses were performed. Results: Caries prevalence for each PFM ranged from 57.8% to 70.4%. The mean plaque index and gingival index values were 1.67 and 1.35, respectively. Bivariate analyses showed that parental knowledge, awareness, and competence regarding PFMs were associated with parental education level, monthly income, number of children, receiving information from the dentist about permanent first molars, plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), and International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS) score. Having more than 8 years of education (p = 0.002), higher awareness scores (p = 0.010), higher competence scores (p = 0.002), and higher parental oral health literacy levels (p < 0.001) were identified as factors associated with parental knowledge. Conclusions: Parental knowledge about PFMs was limited but was associated with parental education, awareness, competence, and parental oral health literacy. Parental knowledge, awareness, and competence were also associated with children’s oral health behaviors and PFM-related clinical parameters. These findings support the need for community- and clinic-based parental oral health literacy programs aimed at improving knowledge, awareness, and competence regarding PFMs and identifying parents at risk for limited oral health knowledge.

Permanent first molar; Gingival health; Dental caries; Parental knowledge; Oral health literacy; Oral health behaviours; Awareness; Competence

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