Understanding Dental Knowledge of Parents in the Villages of Honduras

Objective: With 83% of children in Honduras at risk for dental caries and the lack of water fluoridation, the dental care of the Honduran population is of great concern. The objective of this study is to determine the educational and oral health knowledge of Honduran parents and their children in pursuit of ameliorating oral health awareness and proper oral hygiene techniques. 

Method: A survey was distributed to parents at five different community clinics in villages surrounding Comayagua, Honduras. Ninety-two parents filled out the seventeen-question survey on their understanding of oral health care and their child’s dental care. All analyses were performed at the 95% confidence interval. 

Result: The highest education level of 67% of the parents was elementary school. The majority of patients were female children ranging between the ages of ten- thirteen. When asked if their child had ever seen a dentist, 39% of parents said no. When asked how often their child brushes their teeth, 90.1% of parents responded at least 1/day. Out of this group 67% claimed their child brush 3/day. When asked how often their children are supposed to brush, only 10 parents responded with a different answer than when asked how often their children brush (p>.05). Parents were asked at what age they believed dental visits should begin, 51% of parents stated before the age of four. When asked if they assist their child in brushing their teeth, 19 out of 86 parents answered no, they did not.

Conclusion: These results will assist public health teams in countries to educate parents on the importance of oral hygiene, systemic diseases, and the parent’s role in their children’s dental care. Honduras does not stand alone in this global health concern. Additional studies are needed for advancement of dental education in other countries.