The process and outcome of a programme for preventing early childhood caries in Thailand.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the process and outcomes of a participatory dental health education (DHE) programme for preventing early childhood caries (ECC).


METHODS
A one-year intervention programme.


METHODS
21 health centres.


METHODS
520 mothers/caregivers of 6-19 month-old children who lived in a rural area of Thailand.


METHODS
Small group discussion with active involvement in the intervention group and the national teaching DHE programme in the control group.


METHODS
Health centre staff impact evaluation, children's dental cavitated carious increment and stated changes in oral health behaviour.


RESULTS
After one-year, the percent of subjects using a toothbrush and tooth brushing with fluoride toothpaste was 93% and 87% respectively in the intervention group, significantly higher (p<0.01) than the control group (73% and 58% respectively). Night time bottle-feeding, falling asleep with a bottle and sweet snack diet behaviour appeared the same in both groups. The net cavitated carious increment was 3.5 (SD=3.4) teeth in the intervention and 3.2(SD=3.5) in the control group. Health centre staff were very supportive of the programme and suggested extending the participatory format to other child health topics.


CONCLUSIONS
The participatory dental health education model was shown to be a practical and effective method for increasing oral hygiene practice, but was not sufficient to prevent the development of ECC. This single intervention in the short term is not seen as sufficient to prevent the development of ECC.
Vachirarojpisan
Thongchai
T
Department of Oral Health Promotion, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Japan. vthongch@yahoo.com
Shinada
Kayoko
K
Kawaguchi
Yoko
Y
D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001903:Bottle Feeding; D002327:Cariostatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004245:DMF Index; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019422:Dietary Sucrose / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005459:Fluorides / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015438:Health Behavior; D006267:Health Education, Dental / Q000592:standards*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers / Q000193:education; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D015397:Program Evaluation; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000592:standards; D013785:Thailand; D014099:Toothbrushing / Q000295:instrumentation; D014100:Toothpastes / Q000627:therapeutic use
D002327:Cariostatic Agents; D019422:Dietary Sucrose; D014100:Toothpastes; D005459:Fluorides