When can oral health education begin? Relative effectiveness of three oral health education strategies starting pre-partum.
OBJECTIVE
To test the impact of oral health education provided to pregnant mothers on subsequent practices within the infant's family.


METHODS
A quasi-experimental intervention trial comparing the effectiveness of 'usual care' to one, or both, of two oral health education resources: a 'sample bag' of information and oral health care products; and/or a nine-minute "Healthy Teeth for Life" video on postnatal oral health issues.


METHODS
Women attending the midwife clinic at approximately 30 weeks gestation were recruited (n=611) in a public hospital providing free maternity services.


CONCLUSIONS
Four months after the birth of their infant, relative to the usual care condition, each of the oral health education interventions had independent or combined positive impacts on mother's knowledge of oral health practices. However young, single, health care card-holder or unemployed mothers were less likely to apply healthy behaviours or to improve knowledge of healthy choices, as a result of these interventions. The video intervention provided the strongest and most consistent positive impact on mothers' general and infant oral health knowledge. While mothers indicated that the later stage of pregnancy was a good time to receive oral health education, many suggested that this should also be provided after birth at a time when teeth were a priority issue, such as when "baby teeth" start to erupt.
Southern Regional Services, Division of the Chief Health Officer, Queensland Health, Queensland, Australia.
H
H
Clifford
N W
NW
Johnson
C
C
Brown
D
D
Battistutta
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001903:Bottle Feeding; D001942:Breast Feeding; D003729:Dental Care; D004522:Educational Status; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015438:Health Behavior; D006267:Health Education, Dental / Q000379:methods*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007224:Infant Care; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008423:Maternal Age; D009909:Oral Health; D010298:Parity; D011247:Pregnancy; D015406:Single Parent; D013664:Teaching Materials; D014099:Toothbrushing; D014478:Unemployment; D014741:Video Recording