Oral health in preschool and level of knowledge about oral hygiene of their mothers, in public and private schools in San Lorenzo, Paraguay

Abstract

Introduction: Oral diseases affects much of the population, especially children whose parents have not knowledge about how to prevent them. Objective: To interrelate the state of oral health in preschool and the level of oral hygiene knowledge their mothers have, according to attend public or private schools of the city of San Lorenzo, Paraguay in 2012. Materials and Methods: Cross-sectional study carried out in children aged 4-5 years. To evaluate the knowledge a survey with 7 closed questions was carried out. The clinical examination of children was conducted under standardized conditions. The schools were selected by probability sampling and subjects consecutively. Results: A total of 221 children in 8 schools were evaluated. Turnout was 57%. The dmft index was 2.54 (SD=3.72) for private schools and 3.02 (SD=4.10) for public schools. The type of school the child attends and knowledge of the mother statistically significant association. Conclusion: In public schools there is a lower level of oral health and fewer mothers with high knowledge, while in private as few have average knowledge.