title: Demographic characteristics, oral health knowledge and practices of mothers of children aged 5 years and under referred for extraction of teeth under general anaesthesia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the demographic characteristics, oral health knowledge and practices of mothers of children who required the extraction of teeth under general anaesthesia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study using questionnaires completed at interview.
  
  
  METHODS
  150 mothers of children age 5 years and under who had been referred for extraction of teeth under general anaesthesia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Dental School, University of Wales College of Medicine.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Over three-quarters of mothers had finished their full-time education at or before the age of 16 years. Although generally well-informed about the causes of caries, mothers were less sure of preventative methods. There was a widespread ignorance of the causes and prevention of periodontal disease, with just under half of the sample being unable to identify any causative or preventive factors. 40% of the sample admitted to attending a dentist only when in pain or not at all.
authors.affiliation: Paediatric Dentistry, Dental School, University of Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff, UK.
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Hood
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Hunter
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kingdon
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000766:Anesthesia, Dental / Q000379:methods; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019140:Dental Care for Children / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology*; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000517:prevention & control; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014081:Tooth Extraction; D014099:Toothbrushing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data