Effects of oral health education and tooth-brushing on mutans streptococci infection in young children.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of maternal dental health education and tooth-brushing instruction on the levels of mutans streptococci in pre-school children.


METHODS
One hundred and seven children (44 boys and 63 girls) with a mean age of 20.5 months, randomly selected from a community child health clinic within a 2-week period, participated in this study. Medical, dental, and dietary information was obtained through a questionnaire. The children's mouths were examined, and plaque samples were obtained by swabbing the teeth and mucosa. A commercial microbiological kit was used to determine the presence of mutans streptococci. The mothers were instructed in tooth-brushing using a soft-scrub method. The children were recalled to the same clinic after a period of 4 weeks to obtain a second evaluation of the mutans streptococci levels.


RESULTS
At the first visit, 69 of the 107 children (64%) showed positive infection with mutans streptococci. Ninety (84%) children returned for the recall examination. In the second examination, only 44 (49%) of the 90 children showed positive results for mutans streptococci. The difference in number of children who tested positive is statistically significant (P < .01). At the first visit, children who did not show infection with mutans streptococci were those who reported greater frequency of tooth-brushing (P < .05) and less snacking (P < .05). There were 26 children (29%) who converted from positive to negative results for mutans streptococci infection between the first and second visits (P < .01). This conversion from positive to negative infection was attributed mainly to increased tooth-brushing, as other dental health habits remained the same.


CONCLUSIONS
Infection with mutans streptococci in young children is associated with increased snacking frequency and inadequate tooth-brushing. A single dental health education session and tooth-brushing instruction to mothers results in approximately a 25% reduction in mutans streptococci infection in young children from a relatively high socioeconomic status.
Seow
W Kim
WK
University of Queensland School of Dentistry, Brisbane, Australia. k.seow@uq.edu.au
Cheng
Esther
E
Wan
Vincent
V
D002675:Child, Preschool; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006267:Health Education, Dental; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers / Q000193:education*; D012923:Social Class; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000628:therapy*; D013295:Streptococcus mutans; D014099:Toothbrushing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*