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Article: Promoting positive health behaviours – ‘tooth worm’ phenomenon and its implications

TitlePromoting positive health behaviours – ‘tooth worm’ phenomenon and its implications
Authors
KeywordsHealth belief
Health behaviour
Culture
Oral health
Oral hygiene
Issue Date2012
PublisherFDI World Dental Press Ltd. The Journal's web site is located at http://www.fdiworldental.org/resources/4_3community.html
Citation
Community Dental Health, 2012, v. 29 n. 1, p. 55-61 How to Cite?
Abstract'Tooth worm' is a traditional belief about the pathogen of dental caries (tooth decay). Nevertheless, in our previous study, parental 'tooth worm' belief was linked to a reduced caries risk of their children. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to further characterize the impact of parental 'tooth worm' belief on their children's caries experience and its psychobehavioural mechanisms. BASIC RESEARCH DESIGN: analytic observational study. SETTING: Thirteen randomly selected kindergartens in Singapore. Participants: 1,782 preschoolers aged 3-6 years. METHODS: Each child received an oral examination and microbiological tests. Parents completed a self-administered questionnaire on their socio-demographic background, oral health knowledge/attitude and child's oral health habits. RESULTS: Multivariate analysis confirmed a reduced chance of 'high caries rate' (number of affected teeth > 2) among children whose parents held the 'tooth worm' belief (Odds Ratio = 0.41; 95% Confidence Interval = 0.19-0.89). With such perception among parents, children brushed their teeth more frequently (p = 0.042). Since no difference in oral hygiene was observed, the health benefit of the 'tooth worm' perception may be acquired through the delivery of fluoride (an agent with proven anti-caries effect) during frequent toothbrushing episodes. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed a 'tooth worm' phenomenon, indicating that parental 'tooth worm' belief is associated with early establishment of regular toothbrushing habit and reduction of dental caries in children. This phenomenon and its psychobehavioural mechanisms, enriching our understanding of oral health behaviours, have implications for effective health education.
Persistent Identifierhttp://hdl.handle.net/10722/146379
ISSN
2023 Impact Factor: 0.9
2023 SCImago Journal Rankings: 0.390
ISI Accession Number ID
Funding AgencyGrant Number
Singapore Ministry of Education Academic Research FundR222-000-021-112
R222-000-022-112
Funding Information:

We appreciate the valuable suggestions of Professor Richard Fielding (University of Hong Kong School of Public Health) for refining this paper. The analysis was based on a dataset of a caries risk assessment project supported by the Singapore Ministry of Education Academic Research Fund R222-000-021-112 and R222-000-022-112.

 

DC FieldValueLanguage
dc.contributor.authorGao, Xen_US
dc.contributor.authorHsu, CYSen_US
dc.contributor.authorXu, YCen_US
dc.contributor.authorLoh, Ten_US
dc.contributor.authorKoh, Den_US
dc.contributor.authorHwarng, HBen_US
dc.date.accessioned2012-04-24T07:50:03Z-
dc.date.available2012-04-24T07:50:03Z-
dc.date.issued2012en_US
dc.identifier.citationCommunity Dental Health, 2012, v. 29 n. 1, p. 55-61en_US
dc.identifier.issn0265-539X-
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10722/146379-
dc.description.abstract'Tooth worm' is a traditional belief about the pathogen of dental caries (tooth decay). Nevertheless, in our previous study, parental 'tooth worm' belief was linked to a reduced caries risk of their children. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to further characterize the impact of parental 'tooth worm' belief on their children's caries experience and its psychobehavioural mechanisms. BASIC RESEARCH DESIGN: analytic observational study. SETTING: Thirteen randomly selected kindergartens in Singapore. Participants: 1,782 preschoolers aged 3-6 years. METHODS: Each child received an oral examination and microbiological tests. Parents completed a self-administered questionnaire on their socio-demographic background, oral health knowledge/attitude and child's oral health habits. RESULTS: Multivariate analysis confirmed a reduced chance of 'high caries rate' (number of affected teeth > 2) among children whose parents held the 'tooth worm' belief (Odds Ratio = 0.41; 95% Confidence Interval = 0.19-0.89). With such perception among parents, children brushed their teeth more frequently (p = 0.042). Since no difference in oral hygiene was observed, the health benefit of the 'tooth worm' perception may be acquired through the delivery of fluoride (an agent with proven anti-caries effect) during frequent toothbrushing episodes. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed a 'tooth worm' phenomenon, indicating that parental 'tooth worm' belief is associated with early establishment of regular toothbrushing habit and reduction of dental caries in children. This phenomenon and its psychobehavioural mechanisms, enriching our understanding of oral health behaviours, have implications for effective health education.-
dc.languageengen_US
dc.publisherFDI World Dental Press Ltd. The Journal's web site is located at http://www.fdiworldental.org/resources/4_3community.html-
dc.relation.ispartofCommunity Dental Healthen_US
dc.subjectHealth belief-
dc.subjectHealth behaviour-
dc.subjectCulture-
dc.subjectOral health-
dc.subjectOral hygiene-
dc.titlePromoting positive health behaviours – ‘tooth worm’ phenomenon and its implicationsen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US
dc.identifier.emailGao, X: gaoxl@hkucc.hku.hken_US
dc.identifier.authorityGao, X=rp01509en_US
dc.identifier.doi10.1922/CDH_2697Gao07-
dc.identifier.pmid22482251-
dc.identifier.scopuseid_2-s2.0-84860815592-
dc.identifier.hkuros199208en_US
dc.identifier.volume29en_US
dc.identifier.issue1-
dc.identifier.spage55en_US
dc.identifier.epage61en_US
dc.identifier.isiWOS:000305613100012-
dc.publisher.placeUnited Kingdom-
dc.identifier.issnl0265-539X-

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