Explaining the process of dental caries from women’s viewpoint: study using the grounded theory approach

Women’s barriers and beliefs are important in the care of teeth and oral health in the family and it influences family’s goals, values and health behaviours. According to the role of women in shaping health behaviours in the family and explaining their experiences in the field of oral and dental diseases, the aim of this study was to apply the grounded theory approach to explain the process of dental caries in women. Methods: A grounded theory design was used for data gathering and analysis. 23 participants including 18 women, 3 dentists and 2 spouses were chosen through purposive and theoretical sampling methods. Face-to-face and semi-structured interviews and two focus group discussions were held to gather data. Interviews were recorded, audiotaped and analysed via the grounded theory method developed by Strauss and Corbin. In order to support the validity and rigor of the data, different criteria such as acceptability, confirmability and transferability were used. Results: ‘Promoting knowledge for preservation of teeth’ was the core category. also during the data analysis five main themes were developed: ‘destructive factors of teeth’, ‘maintaining dental’, ‘social and environmental factors’, ‘effective beliefs in dental health’ and ‘trying to rebuild teeth’ Conclusion: To prevent oral and dental diseases, promoting awareness among women is crucial. Also family, dentists, social and religious beliefs, and policies and executive systems are important. The findings of this study can be effective in designing appropriate educational models for women’s oral and dental health and also may be useful for developing educational text for dentists and policymakers.