Parental Knowledge, Attitude and Practices on Oral Care: Their Impact on

Child’s Oral Hygiene

A Research Study

Presented to

The Faculty of the Department of Dentistry

Iloilo Doctors’ College

Molo, Iloilo City

In Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for

Research Report

By

Bayaban, Aliah

Gañaca, Venus

Pablico, Andrea

Pagmanoja, Princess Marie

Salvadico, Nove Joy

Sumido, Hadassah Cheenne

2023
 CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

This chapter consists of the following sections: (1) Background of the Study, (2)

Statement of the Problem, (3) Objectives of the Study, (4) Hypothesis of the Study, (5)

Definition of Terms (6) Significance of the Study (7) Scope and Delimitations of the

Study

Part One, Background of the Study, comprises the explanation of necessary

concepts and information in order to give a better overview of the study.

Part Two. Statement of the Problem, presents the general and specific problems

of the study.

Part Three. Objectives of the Study, gives the reader insights of the study.

Part Four. Hypothesis of the Study,

Part Five, Operational Definition of Terms, gives better understanding of the

terms used in this study.

Part Six. Significance of the Study, discusses those who can benefit from the

findings of the study.

Part Seven. Scope and Limitation, includes the process of setting limitations or

boundaries.
Background of the Study

Life is beautiful, celebrate it with a smile for it is the prettiest thing you can wear.

it could affect you and the people around you because there’s magic in your smile.

Studies have shown that people who feel confident in their smile are more likely to

succeed in their careers and relationships because they’re more likely to smile and

speak clearly. An easy going, carefree smile makes a person seem more confident,

capable, and approachable. (Georgia School of Orthodontics, 2023).

The hardest natural materials found in the human body are teeth, which are also

crucial for chewing and communication according to (WebMed, 2015). It alters facial

expression, mastication and speaking functions, as well as aesthetics, interfering with

daily tasks. The teeth are also important for digestion. Before ingesting, they crush or

cut food to make it easier to digest. The average human has 32 teeth, but some people

have more or less than that. (Cleveland Clinic in the year 2023.) Dental disease and

treatment experiences for preschool-aged children and their caregivers may have a

substantial impact on the quality of life related to oral health.

Dental caries frequently cause children to have poor oral health and have a

detrimental effect on their quality of life. Dental caries can lead to pain, a decreased

appetite, trouble chewing, trouble eating certain foods, trouble drinking hot or cold

beverages, weight loss, trouble sleeping, behavioral problems, and poor academic

performance. Compared to kids with adequate oral hygiene, kids with poor oral hygiene

are more likely to miss school. Parents play a crucial role in fostering positive habits and

beliefs in their children because children spend the majority of their time with them and,
more especially, with their moms. Parents have a significant impact on a young child's

dental health maintenance and result (Stephens M et al., Commun Dent Oral Epidemiol

2002).

Children ages four to seven years old love sweets like sugary breakfast,

chocolate, and cake that causes tooth decay. The tooth decay occurs in children, a

source of disturbance in tooth growth at later age. The preventive dental care begins at

early infancy paving a way for healthy teeth and gums as they progress towards

adulthood. Children are dependent on parents in maintaining and caring for their dental

health. Parents have responsibility, attention, and advise children to clean their teeth

three times a day. Children's oral health is strongly correlated with the family

environment, which includes socio-behavioural and environmental factors. There is a

link demonstrating the connection between children's poor dental health and the

parents' knowledge about oral health care, age, lower educational attainment as well as

lower household income. (Moghaddam et al. April 28, 2022)

Early childhood caries, a kind of dental disease, affects about 1 in 5 preschoolers

in the US. Children who have dental caries early in childhood are more prone to

experience recurring episodes as they become older and into adolescence. Many

children who have early childhood caries experience pain. Early childhood caries can

also hinder physical development, have negative consequences on body weight and

height, and result in failure to thrive (Kaplan RM:Qual Life Res 2003). The parental

knowledge and behavior nurture the dental health of children either support or not

support in child’s oral hygiene. The children’s parents that support the oral hygiene

results of good oral health, it reduces the risk of developing tooth decay and gum
disease. However, the parents do not support the oral health of children that have an

inadequate fluoride exposure, poor oral hygiene, consumption of sugars, behavior and

interaction with the environment are predisposing factors to increase risk of early

childhood caries

Adults typically have responsibility for young children's health. Additionally,

choices about their children's health are typically made by parents. Therefore, it's crucial

to gauge how parents think oral health issues, including symptoms, diseases, and their

treatments, affect their kids' quality of life.

Evidence also suggests that early childhood caries causes caregivers to miss

work days because they must stay at home to care for their children or spend money

and time for dental care. Therefore, it's crucial to measure these effects on parents as

part of evaluating the quality of life for young children in terms of their dental health.

(Slade GD et al., Community Dent Health 1998).

According to research in the fields of child development and psychology, children

under the age of six are unable to reliably recall commonplace and unusual occurrences

for longer than 24 hours. At the age of seven or older, children start to make inferences

about the time of prior events in relation to the day of the week, month, or season.

Furthermore, children do not develop abstract thinking skills until they are roughly 6

years old, which probably accounts for many of the impressions of health and disease.

There has been limited success in research that has attempted to use preschool-aged

children as respondents in studies of the quality of life connected to dental health.Oral

health illness prevention is more economical than treatment and rehabilitation.

 There are currently few studies that have been conducted in South Africa that

have specifically evaluated the knowledge, attitude of parents with regard to the oral

health practice of their children. It is crucial that parents have good oral health

knowledge, attitudes, and will influence their child's oral health maintenance, dietary

habits, and encourage healthy behaviours. (Guyatt G: Measuring parental perceptions

of child oral health-related quality of life. J Public Health Dent 2003).

The majority of a child's time is spent with their parents or guardians, and

mothers in particular, therefore parents are crucial in helping their kids develop positive

habits and beliefs. Parents have a significant impact on the upkeep and results of a

young child's dental health. Women frequently serve as their children's primary role

models, and they frequently know more about their children's dental health than do

fathers. To reduce the gaps in knowledge, oral health promotion should be integrated

into all point of care contact with parents at health facilities, increased community

awareness and advertising campaigns as well as a more focused school health oral

program that addresses primary prevention, screening, and appropriate referrals to

health facilities.
Statement of the Problem

Dental caries often leads to a poor oral health status of a child and is often

associated with a negative impact on the quality of life, and the eventual deterioration of

health (Scarpelli AC., et. al., 2013). The maintenance and outcome of oral health if a

young child is highly influenced by parents (Suresh BS, et. al., 2010). The parent's

knowledge contributes to their child’s oral health hygiene and care that can lead to poor

or good oral hygiene. This research study aimed to find out the impact of parental

knowledge, attitudes and practices on child’s oral hygiene.

Specifically, it aimed to answer the following:

1. To what extent do parental knowledge, practices and attitudes toward oral

health care of parents when classified: a) whole, b) sex, c) length of years as

parent, d) age, e) socioeconomic status, f) highest educational attainment, g)

occupation, and h) family size impact their child long term oral health

outcome.

2. To determine if there is a significant difference in the extent of parental

knowledge, attitudes and practices toward oral health care of parents when

classified: a) sex, b) length of years as a parent, c) age, d) socioeconomic

status, e) highest educational attainment, f) occupation, and g) family size.

3. Level of parental knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding their child’s

oral health.
 General Objectives

This study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of how parental factors

influence children's oral health, with the ultimate goal of informing targeted

interventions and educational strategies to improve pediatric oral health outcomes.

Specific Objectives:

1.) To determine the knowledge of parents on Oral care

2.) To determine the attitude of parents on Oral care

3.) To determine the practices of parents on Oral Care

Hypothesis of the Study

There is no significant difference in the extent of parental knowledge, attitudes and

practices toward oral health care of parents when classified: a) sex, b) length of

years as a parent, c) age, d) socioeconomic status, e) highest educational

attainment, f) occupation, and g) family size.

Definition of Terms

Attitude. In this study, defined as the view of parents regarding the importance of

their child’s good oral hygiene.

Parental Awareness. In this study, defined as the parents' understanding towards

their Child’s oral health.
Oral Health Knowledge. In this study, defined as the parents' knowledge in
maintaining their child's good oral hygiene and care through basic toothbrushing
techniques and proper mouth care.
Oral Hygiene. In this study, defined as the child’s oral care routine daily practice
perform in maintaining proper oral hygiene
Parents Education. In this study, defined as the parent’s insights regarding oral
health care.
Child’s oral health. In this study, defined as oral health status of the child by the

influence of their parents

Self-administered questionnaires. A data collection tool in which written

questions are presented to be answered by the respondents in written form.

Surveys. Method of gathering information from a group of individuals by asking

them questions.

Questionnaires. A list of questions or items used to gather data from respondents

about their attitudes, awareness, or socioeconomic status which can influence a child's

oral health care.

Significance of the Study

Professional Dentists. This study can be used by professional dentists as a

reference to their patients, particularly the children, to determine the extent of the

awareness of parents when it comes to their children’s oral health.

Parents. The parents would find the result of the study significant that can help

them understand their children's oral health outcomes and overall well being.

Future Researchers. It may encourage other researchers who have an interest in

the related problems that they can use this study as reference material for further
studies.

Scope and Delimitations

This study focused on determining the Parents’ Role and Impact in

Children’s Oral Health Care and Hygiene. The respondents were 30 parents of children
aged 4-7 years old within Calumpang, Molo, Iloilo City

CHAPTER II

THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
Chapter II is subdivide into: (1) Review of Related Literature, (2) Theoretical

Framework, (3) Conceptual Framework

Part One, Review of Related Literature, analysis of documents containing

information related to research problems.

Part Two, Theoretical Framework, structure that can hold or support a theory of a

research study.

Part Three, Conceptual Framework, showed a figure that describes the paradigm

of the study.

Review Of Related Literature

Parent-Child Relationship
 Early childhood caries (ECC) can result in pain, poor growth and development

and loss of self-esteem and may lead to psychological problems. Children learn

behavior from their parents (Poutanen et al, 2006). Parental factors, such as

knowledge, attitude and behavior strongly influence their children’s behavior. Behavior

is likely to reflect knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs rather than enforced behavior

(Norton et al, 2003). Parents influence their children’s lifestyle, health beliefs and

behavior but parental influences vary according to socio-economic factors and sex

(Norton et al, 2003). It shows parental occupation, knowledge and behavior affecting

their child’s health care.

Parental attitudes about the importance of baby teeth, intent to brush their child’s

teeth twice daily and the feeling it is a waste of time and tiresome to force their child to

brush their teeth twice daily were strongly associated with parental education levels,

monthly income and careers. There is a possibility, children from families with a higher

income, may have hired caretakers and the possibility to have regular dental visits.

When parents are busy, they may try to spoil their children. Giving their child sweets is a

way they show affection, therefore parental behavior needs to be understood not just

from an oral perspective.

This information is useful in determining the parental type (easy, hard) but it does

not tell the reason for a parent’s attitude and therefore, does not assist in developing

individualized oral health education that will help parents alter their attitudes and adopt

an effective preventive regime. This is especially relevant in the case of children at risk

for developing caries. The parental attitudes and behavior regarding a child’s oral health

associated with parental education level and monthly income. (Mitrakul K, Laovoravit V,
Vanichanuwat V, Charatchaiwanna A, Charatchaiwanna A, Bunpradit W, Arunakul M.

Factors associated with parent capability on child's oral health care. Southeast Asian J

Trop Med Public Health. 2012 Jan;43(1):249-55. PMID: 23082577.)

Many behavioral theories such as the Health Belief Model and Theory of

Reasoned Action have confirmed the major role of knowledge and attitudes in

explaining behavioral changes [Ajzen and Fishbein, 1980; Noar, 2005]. These aspects

are especially emphasized when the role of parents’ knowledge of and attitudes towards

health behavior and status of their offspring is assessed. Parents play a central role in

giving children the information and encouragement needed for healthy lives

[Christensen, 2004].

Health educational programs have been traditionally based upon the theory that

acquiring new knowledge will alter attitudes and lead to a change in behavior. However,

a linear relationship between knowledge, attitude, and behaviour seems simplistic

because external factors such as environmental, social, and family circumstances have

an influence on human behaviour, as suggested in behavioural theories such as the

PRECEDE-PROCEED model [Green and Kreuter, 1991].

Twice-daily tooth-brushing behaviour and sound dentition in 9-year-olds were

both associated with the positive oral health-related attitudes of their mothers. When

developing oral health promotion programs for children and adolescents, the

considerable potential in mothers should be taken into account and advocated by oral

health professionals. (Saied-Moallemi Z, Virtanen J, Ghofranipour F, Murtomaa H,

2008/07/01 7983 Influence of mothers’ oral health knowledge and attitudes on their

children’s dental health 910.1007/BF03262614 European archives of pediatric dentistry:

official journal of the European Academy of Pediatric Dentistry)

The study of Yan Zhang , Kar Yan Li et al. (2020) was a cross-sectional survey

using a combination of random household and purposive sampling. The study

population were recruited from the participants of a local charitable foundation-funded

project called the FAMILY project which is located in different districts of Hongkong with

randomly selected households as well as families whose children studied at six

kindergartens selected through purposive sampling. A total of 455 families with children

aged 5 to 7 from the FAMILY project baseline database and 105 families from the

selected kindergartens were invited to participate in the study.

Yan Zhang , Kar Yan Li et al. (2020) explained clearly to the participating families

and written consent from the parents and for their children was obtained before the data

collection. Oral examinations and questionnaire surveys were conducted either at

participants’ homes or the kindergartens from September 2009 to November 2011. The

fathers and mothers were asked to complete a questionnaire for themselves separately

and individually. The questionnaire assessed their oral health knowledge, attitudes, and

behaviors, as well as socioeconomic status.

The results showed that the correlations of OHB and OHS between mothers and

children were stronger than those between fathers and children. The children's OHS

can be directly affected by their OHB, whereas their OHB can be directly affected by

parental knowledge of and attitudes towards them and parents’ OHB.Findings from this

study support that family plays a significant role in determining an individual OHS. It was

found that spouses’ OHB and OHS were highly correlated among parents and their

children in this study sample. These findings imply that oral health promotion in Hong
Kong should pay more attention to the whole family instead of individuals. In future oral

health promotion activities, all family members should be involved to improve the effect

on the promotion (Yan Zhang , Kar Yan Li et al, 2020).

Family plays a critical role in their child’s oral health system and oral health

behavior. It was stated in this study that the OHB and OHS of the child in the mother-

child relationship is stronger compared to father-child relationship. The researchers aim

to pay more attention to the whole family which includes the mother and the father

relationship with the child in order to find an established correlation of the child’s dental

health and their parents’ influence.

Foreign Studies on Parents Influence in their Child’s Oral Hygiene and Care

In terms of a person's overall well being, oral health is crucial. Making an effort to

develop good oral health behaviors can have an impact on people's overall health since

oral health behaviors can affect oral health. It's true that parents, particularly mothers,

frequently help their children adopt healthy dental hygiene practices when they are

young. Since parents are the main social factor impacting a child's development in the

early years, it would seem that interventions aimed at changing parents' attitudes and

behaviors towards oral health could be helpful in preventing issues like dental caries.

There is a substantial correlation between moms' education levels and their

children's plaque index. It can be inferred that mothers' education can raise their

awareness of healthy behavior, which will then increase their capacity to monitor their

children's hygienic behaviors.

This supports the findings of other studies showing parents with greater levels of
education have more optimistic views and stronger intentions to influence their kids'

health behavior. There was a strong correlation between mothers' educational level and

the children's oral hygiene status. (Abiola Adeniyi et al.,)

The results of the study demonstrated a strong correlation between parental

tooth-brushing behavior and that of their offspring. Parents' oral hygiene habits and

tooth brushing abilities have an impact on how frequently and well their kids wash their

teeth. Since kids imitate their parents' actions in many areas, it is expected that kids will

brush their teeth as they do. According to a study by (Vanagas et al.,2011)

The development of oral hygiene skills in children, particularly tooth brushing, is

highly correlated with the attitudes of parents toward their children's oral health. A study

revealed a connection between a mother's tooth-brushing routine and that of her child.

(A 2011 study by Dye et al.)

Between-meal sweet food consumption by parents and this behavior in their kids

were significantly correlated. Some research showed a connection between a child's

eating behavior and their parents. Parents' own eating habits are the most crucial

source of information for their kids' eating habits Brown and Ogden, 2004)

Local Study on Parents Influence in their Childs Oral hygiene and Care

Batangas City launched a campaign for dental health for local public-school

students. Good oral hygiene practices are frequently adopted by children with the help

of their parents, especially mothers. Parents are the main movers in society impacting

early childhood development. It seems that interventions targeting parental oral health

beliefs and practices play beneficial roles in the intervention of oral health problems
such as dental caries.

In a recent study on the impact of mothers on dental health. The health status of

schoolchildren was discovered to be that the child's caries and oral hygiene status were

favorably connected with the mother's age, education, place of residence, knowledge,

and attitudes (Abiola Adeniyi et. al, 2009).

Parents' behaviors in terms of oral health and awareness of the significance of

teaching children oral hygiene skills were both substantially correlated with attitudes

about children's oral health. The mother's dental health is a reliable indicator of their oral

health status. According to the kids of mothers who had untreated cavities at high levels

were more likely to occur 3.5; 95% CI, 2.0-6.2) to have more caries experience (treated

or untreated dental caries) in comparison with kids whose mothers didn't have untreated

dental caries. A similar relationship was observed between mothers‟ loss and caries

experience among their children. (Vanagas et. al, 2009)

The children of mothers with high levels of tooth loss were more times as likely to

have higher levels of caries experience compared with children of mothers with no tooth

loss; for mothers with moderate tooth loss, the OR was 2.3 (95 percent CI, 1.5-3.5).

(Dye, 2011).

A study demonstrates the link between a mother's attitude, influence, and

knowledge as it relates to their child's dental hygiene. Parental supervision is crucial for

a child's oral health behavior, and studies show a link between improved oral health

knowledge among parents and children who have better oral cleanliness and fewer

cases of early childhood caries. There are some gaps in general parental knowledge,
including age, income, educational attainment, and work to mention a few. Nonetheless,

parents' sufficient understanding of oral health and a favorable attitude toward it, as well

as their children's demonstration of excellent habits, demonstrate a good correlation.

(Abiola Adeniyi et. al, 2009).

Theoretical Framework

Many behavioral theories such as the Health Belief Model and Theory of

Reasoned Action have confirmed the major role of knowledge and attitudes in

explaining behavioral changes [Ajzen and Fishbein, 1980; Noar, 2005]. These aspects

are especially emphasized when the role of parents’ knowledge of and attitudes towards

health behavior and status of their offspring is assessed. Furthermore, parents’ attitudes

have a significant positive influence on the children’s dental caries and gingival health

[Okada et al., 2001; Szatko et al., 2004]. The present study evaluates the influence of

mothers’ oral health-related knowledge and attitudes on tooth-brushing behavior and

dental health of their children, and to compare the effect of these maternal aspects on

child’s oral health.

Conceptual Framework

This study will use the Health Belief Model and Theory of Reasoned Action

[Ajzen and Fishbein, 1980; Noar, 2005] as a conceptual framework, which could help

the relationship between the parents' knowledge and influence to their child’s oral

hygiene and care. Parental oral health-related knowledge, belief, and attitudes influence

the tooth-brushing behavior of their children [Adair et al., 2004; Skeie et al., 2006;

Poutanen et al., 2007]. This will help identify the key factors contributing to the impact of
a parent's knowledge and influence in their child’s oral hygiene and care.

Independent Variables Dependent Variables

Parents Classified According to: Child’s Oral Hygiene

a) Whole a) Knowledge
b) Sex b) Practices
c) Age c) Attitude
d) Highest Educational
Attainment
e) Occupation
f) Family Income
g) Family size
h) Length of years as parent

Figure 1. Schematic Diagram showing the Impact of Parents' Knowledge and Influence

in Their Child’s Oral Hygiene and Care

CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

Chapter III Consist of six parts (1) Study Design, (2) Population and Sampling, (3) Data
Collection and Procedure, (4) Data Processing and Analysis, (5) Study Limitations, (6)

Ethical Considerations

Study Design

This study aimed to find out the impact of parent’s knowledge, attitudes and

practices in their child’s oral hygiene and care. This will employ a quantitative
correlational study research design. Quantitative correlational study research design

aims to systematically obtain information to describe a phenomenon, situation or a

population [Shona McCombes(2019 )], furthermore it will provide a detailed and

accurate picture of the characteristics and behaviour of the said population .

Descriptive research is a non- experimental research where researchers does not

manipulate variables or conditions. In addition the researcher will collect data on the

population using survey questionnaires.

Study Setting

Our research study will be located at Zone 6 Brgy.Calumpang Molo, Iloilo City.

Calumpang is a barangay in Iloilo City, its population as determine by the 2022 Census

where as it has 18,140 and a total of 5,650 number of households. Composed of 14

zones namely; Zone1, Zone1A, Zone1B, Zone2, Zone3A, Zone3B, Juntado Sbd.,

Zone4, Zone 5, Zone 6, Zone 7, Zone 8 (Ciudad de Iloilo), Zone 8B and Zone 9. In our

research study we chose Zone 6 as our main study setting.

Population and sampling Technique

The participants of the study will be the thirty (30) parents from Brgy. Calumpang,

Iloilo City with children ages ranging from four to seven years old. They will be chosen

using simple random technique. Where list of parents will be taken from the barangay

secretary and through fishbowl method the list of respondents will be obtained.

Parent’s Age Group For Objectives 2 , To determine if there is an

16-20 association in parents' educational level and age

21-30

31-40

41-50
group.

Parent’s Educational Level

no education attainment

elementary graduate

highschool graduate

college graduate

Data Collection and Procedure

Prior to data collection, permission to collect data from the parents will be

secured from Brgy Captain of Calumpang Iloilo. After permission was granted, Data

gathering will be conducted on the randomly selected parents of the selected barangay.

A survey questionnaire on parents knowledge and influence on their child oral hygiene

and care (PKICOHC ) will be implemented. Ample time ( 30 minutes to an hour) in order

to fully accomplish the questionnaires. Thereafter, the questionnaires will be retrieved

and responses will be encoded. Care will be taken on encoding the right data. Prior to

the conduct of the study the PKICOHC will be pilot tested and be subjected to Statistical

Package for Social Sciences ( SPSS) and a reliability of 0.70 and above should be

achieved

Data Analysis

The quantitative data collected will be analysed using One Way ANOVA

Figure No. 2 Data Collection Procedure Flow Chart

 Generate House to house visitation in Informed consent will be
Questionnaire Calumpang, Iloilo City signed and completed

Answers
Analysis of will
databe extracted Participants complete the
from the
gathered 30 participants
from 30 entire questionnaire
participants Present Findings

Data Processing and Analysis

To analyze the Parental Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices on Oral Care: Its
Impact on Childs Oral Hygiene, random sampling, the first step we will be asking for the
population of households with child age 4-7 years old of Brgy. Calumpang Molo, Iloilo
City and will pick 30 random participants to be given a formulated questionnaire.This
could involve conducting surveys with parents to assess their level of knowledge on oral
health and their attitudes and practices related to their child's oral health.

The collected data could be analyzed using statistical software such as SPSS.

Descriptive statistics, such as frequencies, percentage, mean, median, mode and

standard deviation will be computed to provide an overview of the data collected,

including demographic information, prevalence rates of dental caries and the distribution

of factors associated with parents’ knowledge in their child’s oral health outcome.

Study Limitations

The target respondents in the study are the parents of children aged 4-7 years

old of Calumpang, Iloilo City. The data are to be gathered by interview and a set of

questionnaires through house-to-house visitation.

Ethical Considerations

The research proposal is considering the welfare of the respondents as well, as

advised by the Philippine Health Research Ethics Board and Philippine National Health

Research System. The research proposal must not harm the participants.

First, the respondents must submit their signed informed consent before

answering the questionnaire.

Second, the vulnerability of the research participants must be considered.

Examples of vulnerable groups are elderly people, uninsured people, migrant workers,

and pregnant women. Failure to comply with this requirement will result in removal of

the participant to the study.

Third, the participants’ right to privacy must be respected. If possible, records

should not be disclosed at all times unless required by the law. This requirement will be

included in the informed consent form. The personalized data collected from the

respondent will not be shared outside the researchers, adviser and ethical committee.

Fourth, the research proposal aims to provide transparency between the

researchers and participants. This will be attained by informing the participants of the

objectives of the study before introducing the informed consent and questionnaire to

them.

Fifth, this research should consider imposing responsibilities on research

participants to be truthful in answering and to be candid in expressing their concerns

about their involvement in research as to avoid bias and in order to get the desired

answers as this will be helpful with gathering information.

 INFORMED CONSENT

Introduction: A study titled " Parental Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices on Oral
Care: Its Impact on Childs Oral Hygiene " is being conducted by us, fifth-year dental
students from Iloilo Doctor's College-College of Dentistry. We would like to invite you to
participate in the research study being conducted by Aliah Bayaban, Venus Ganaca,
Andrea Pablico, Princess Marie Pagmanoja, Nove Joy Salvadico, and Hadassah
Cheenne Sumido from the College of Dentistry at Iloilo Doctor's College. Their research
is being supervised by Dr. Marie Arlene Christine T. Valerio DMD, DHPED, who also
serves as their research adviser 2, and by their department dean, Dr. Rosario Xenia L.
Jalbuena, DMD, Msci

Participation in this study is entirely optional. We strongly advise you to ask the group

members about any questions you may have regarding this study. If you choose to take

part, you have to sign this form to confirm that you want to do so.

Purpose of the research: You are being invited to participate in this research study

because you are the parent of a child in this community who is between the ages of 3

and 7 years old. The purpose of this research study is to determine the parents' level of

knowledge and sources of oral health information, to determine whether there is an

association between the parents' educational level and age group, and to associate the

parents' knowledge on oral health care and dental problems among their children, if

there are any.

Procedures: You will be asked to complete a questionnaire about your knowledge,

attitudes, and practices related to oral health if you accept to participate in this study. It

will take 10 to 15 minutes to finish the survey.

Benefits: The potential advantages of participating in this study include learning more

about oral health and dental disease prevention. Additionally, you can enhance the

understanding and application of oral health promotion and education among parents

and children.

Voluntary Participation: You will not be compensated for participating in this study.

Rights of Research Participants: You have the option of participating in this study or
not. You may refuse to participate in the study or withdraw at any moment without

penalty or consequence. You may also ask questions regarding the study before,

during, or after it begin. You may contact members of the research team if you have any

questions, concerns, or problems about the study. If you have any questions concerning

your rights as a study participant, please contact a member of the research team.

Contact Number: 09382338501

The Instrument

This research instrument is intended to gather data from parents in order to

determine the Impact of Parental knowledge, attitudes and practices on Childs Oral
Hygiene. The result of this study will serve as the base line of our research paper.

In this connection, kindly answer the items as sincerely and truthfully as you can.
Please do not leave any item unanswered. Rest assured that the data gathered will be
treated with strict confidentiality.

Survey questionnaire on Parents knowledge, Attitudes and Practices on Childs

Oral Hygiene
General Direction
Please read each item carefully and fill in the needed information. Please
 do not leave any item blank.

Part I. Personal Data

Direction: Please fill in accurately the needed information

Name ( Optional ) ____________________________________________________

Age: ______________________ Address: ________________________________
Sex : [ ] Male [ ] Female

Age :
Highest Educational Attainment:
[ ] Elementary Level [ ] High School Level [ ] College Level
[ ] Masters Degree [ ] Doctoral Degree
Occupation
[ ] Business Related [ ] Labor work force related [ ] Education
Related
[ ] Military Related [ ] Medical Related [ ] Unemployed

Family Size/ Number of Children

[ ] Small1 -2 children [ ] Medium 3 – 4 children [ ] Large 5 and more

Length of years as parent ( Counting from 1st child)

[ ] Young Parents 1 – 5 years
[ ] Middle Parents 6- 10 years
[ ] Adult Parents More than 10 years

Questionnaire:

Strongly Agree Dis-Agree Strongly Dis-Agree

Agree

Knowledge ( 10 )

Pls indicate your level

of agreement with the
following statement

1. I believe that
brushing my child's
teeth twice a day is
essential for their oral
health.

2. I know that sugary

drinks can damage my
child's teeth.

3. I am aware that
using a soft-bristled
toothbrush and fluoride
toothpaste is important
for my child's oral
hygiene.

4. I understand that
regular dental visits are
important for my child's
oral health, even if they
don't have any
apparent problems.

5. I know that thumb-

sucking and pacifier
use can negatively
impact my child's oral
development.

6. I am aware that
sharing utensils with
others can increase the
risk of transmitting
tooth decay-causing
bacteria.

7. I understand that
diet plays a significant
role in maintaining
good oral health.

8. I know that it's

important to limit my
child's consumption of
sugary drinks and
snacks.

9. I am aware that
brushing my child's
teeth too hard can
damage their gums
and enamel.

10. I understand that

my child's teeth should
be cleaned gently,
using circular motions.

Strongly Agree Dis-Agree Strongly Dis-Agree

Agree

Section 2: Parental
Attitudes

Pls indicate your level

of agreement with the
following statement

1. I believe that oral

health is an important
part of my child's
overall health.

2. I am motivated to
help my child develop
good oral hygiene
habits.

3. I feel confident in my
ability to teach my child
how to brush their teeth
properly.

4. I believe that it is
important to take my
child to the dentist for
regular checkups.

5.I am concerned
about the potential
negative impacts of
poor oral health on my
child's overall well-
being.

6. I believe that it is my
responsibility to ensure
that my child receives
proper oral care.

7. I am willing to make
changes in my own
oral care habits to set a
good example for my
child.

8. I believe that oral

health is a family affair,
and that everyone
should be involved in
promoting good oral
hygiene habits.

9 . I am open to
learning more about
oral health and how to
best care for my child's
teeth.

10.I believe that

investing in my child's
oral health is a wise
decision that will
benefit them
throughout their lives

Strongly Agree Dis-Agree Strongly Dis-Agree

Agree

Section 2: Parental
Attitudes

Pls indicate your level of

agreement with the following
statement

1. I brush my child's teeth

twice a day.

2. I supervise my child's
brushing to ensure they are
doing it properly.

3. I use a soft-bristled
toothbrush and fluoride
toothpaste for my child.

4. I take my child to the

dentist for regular checkups.

5. I encourage my child to
drink water instead of sugary
drinks.

6. I limit my child's
consumption of sugary
snacks.

7. I monitor my child's thumb-

sucking or pacifier use and
encourage them to stop.

8. I make sure my child

brushes their teeth after each
meal or snack.

9. I teach my child about the

importance of good oral
hygiene.

10. I involve my child in choosing

their toothbrush and toothpaste