title: Changes in children's oral health-related behavior, knowledge and attitudes during a 3.4-yr randomized clinical trial and oral health-promotion program.
abstract: The aim of our study was to compare the changes in children's oral health-related behavior, knowledge, and attitudes obtained using an oral health-promotion approach, a risk-strategy and promotion approach, and reference area, and to report changes in the behavior of children between the experimental and the control groups of a randomized clinical trial (RCT). The study population consisted of all fifth and sixth graders who started the 2001-2002 school year in Pori, Finland (n = 1,691), where the RCT and program of oral health promotion were implemented for 3.4 yr. Children with at least one active caries lesion were randomly assigned to experimental (n = 250) and control (n = 247) groups. Children in Rauma (n = 807) acted as the reference. Changes in children's self-reported behavior, knowledge, and attitudes were compared between groups. The subjects in the oral health-promotion group and in the risk-strategy and promotion group in Pori tended to show greater improvement in most of their oral health-related behaviors than those in the reference group, and children in the RCT experimental group showed greater improvement in most of their oral health-related behaviors than those in the RCT control group. Children can be helped to improve their oral health-related behavior by intervention, including oral hygiene and dietary counseling, or by implementing a multilevel-approach oral health-promotion program.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Dentistry, Institute of Dentistry, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland. mimmi.tolvanen@oulu.fi
authors.forename: Mimmi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tolvanen
authors.forename: Satu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lahti
authors.forename: Raija
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Poutanen
authors.forename: Liisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Seppä
authors.forename: Vesa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pohjola
authors.forename: Hannu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hausen
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health; D002182:Candy / Q000009:adverse effects; D002253:Carbonated Beverages / Q000009:adverse effects; D002326:Cariogenic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D002327:Cariostatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior; D003376:Counseling; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000517:prevention & control; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D005459:Fluorides / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015438:Health Behavior; D006267:Health Education, Dental / Q000379:methods; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009909:Oral Health; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D014099:Toothbrushing; D014100:Toothpastes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014993:Xylitol / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D002326:Cariogenic Agents; D002327:Cariostatic Agents; D014100:Toothpastes; D005459:Fluorides; D014993:Xylitol