title: Parental views on delivering preventive advice to children referred for treatment of dental caries under general anaesthesia: a qualitative investigation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To: 1, Explore opinions of parents of children undergoing caries treatment under general anaesthesia (GA) regarding delivery of oral health advice; 2, Discover current oral health practices and beliefs; 3, Inform further research and action.
  
  
  METHODS
  Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews and thematic data analysis, sampling parents of children aged 3-10 years undergoing GA tooth extraction due to dental caries.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty nine parents were interviewed (mean age 38.9 years, range 28-50, sd 6.4). The mean age of their children was seven years (range 3-10, sd 2.1). All children required deciduous tooth extractions (5.1 teeth on average). Those that also required permanent tooth extractions had on average 2.1 permanent teeth extracted. Many parents knew the importance of oral hygiene and sugar limitation, describing it as 'general knowledge' and 'common sense'. However, few understood that fruit juice is potentially cariogenic. Parenting challenges seemed to restrict their ability to control the child's diet and establish oral hygiene. Many reported not previously receiving oral health advice and reported never having fluoride varnish applied. There were requests for more caries prevention information and advice via the internet, schools or video games.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Parental oral health knowledge, parenting skills, and previous advice received seem to all be issues related to the oral health of those children. Providing advice, especially in respect to fruit juice cariogenicity and the benefits of fluoride application through a child-friendly website, including a video game, as well as the use of school programmes might be an acceptable approach.
authors: A K
authors: AK
authors: Aljafari
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Scambler
authors: J E
authors: JE
authors: Gallagher
authors: M T
authors: MT
authors: Hosey
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000766:Anesthesia, Dental; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001628:Beverages / Q000009:adverse effects; D002326:Cariogenic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D002327:Cariostatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy; D019422:Dietary Sucrose / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005460:Fluorides, Topical / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005638:Fruit; D006267:Health Education, Dental / Q000379:methods*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009910:Oral Hygiene; D016487:Parenting; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D012571:School Dentistry; D014081:Tooth Extraction; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous / Q000601:surgery; D018910:Video Games
chemical_list: D002326:Cariogenic Agents; D002327:Cariostatic Agents; D019422:Dietary Sucrose; D005460:Fluorides, Topical