title: Parental knowledge, attitudes and cultural beliefs regarding oral health and dental care of preschool children in an Indian population: a quantitative study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Preschool children are dependent upon their parents for their dental care. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitude and beliefs of parents towards oral health and dental care of their children aged 1-4 years in an Indian population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Parents of 620 preschool children, who visited Krishna Dental College and Hospital, Ghaziabad, India for dental treatment were recruited into this study and completed a self administered questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  It was revealed that the lack of knowledge and awareness of importance of the primary teeth, dental fear of the parents and the myths associated with dental treatment, created barriers to early preventive dental care of preschool children. The oral hygiene and feeding practices were found to be disappointing and the knowledge about the essential role of fluoride and transmission of Streptococcus mutans bacteria was found to be limited. The elders in the family, especially grandparents, highly influenced the decisions of the parents regarding dental treatment of their children.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Parents' knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about the importance of dental health need to be improved. Coordinated efforts by paediatricians, paediatric dentists and other health professionals are required to impart dental health education about oral hygiene, feeding practices, importance of the primary dentition and to promote preventive dental programmes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pedodontics, Krishna Dental College, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India. nidhimahajandr84@gmail.com
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chhabra
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chhabra
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002327:Cariostatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002654:Child Care / Q000523:psychology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003469:Culture; D016854:Dental Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D003729:Dental Care / Q000523:psychology*; D019140:Dental Care for Children; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D019422:Dietary Sucrose / Q000009:adverse effects; D005195:Family Relations; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005248:Feeding Methods; D005459:Fluorides / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007223:Infant; D016901:Intergenerational Relations; D009909:Oral Health; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D057566:Self Report; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous; D014099:Toothbrushing; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002327:Cariostatic Agents; D019422:Dietary Sucrose; D005459:Fluorides