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Changes in children’s oral health‐related behavior, knowledge and attitudes during a 3.4‐yr randomized clinical trial and oral health‐promotion program
Author(s) -
Tolvanen Mimmi,
Lahti Satu,
Poutanen Raija,
Seppä Liisa,
Pohjola Vesa,
Hausen Hannu
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
european journal of oral sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.802
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1600-0722
pISSN - 0909-8836
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0722.2009.00640.x
Subject(s) - randomized controlled trial , medicine , health promotion , oral hygiene , intervention (counseling) , oral health , promotion (chess) , family medicine , dentistry , public health , nursing , surgery , politics , political science , law
The aim of our study was to compare the changes in children’s oral health‐related behavior, knowledge, and attitudes obtained using an oral health‐promotion approach, a risk‐strategy and promotion approach, and reference area, and to report changes in the behavior of children between the experimental and the control groups of a randomized clinical trial (RCT). The study population consisted of all fifth and sixth graders who started the 2001–2002 school year in Pori, Finland ( n = 1,691), where the RCT and program of oral health promotion were implemented for 3.4 yr. Children with at least one active caries lesion were randomly assigned to experimental ( n = 250) and control ( n = 247) groups. Children in Rauma ( n = 807) acted as the reference. Changes in children’s self‐reported behavior, knowledge, and attitudes were compared between groups. The subjects in the oral health‐promotion group and in the risk‐strategy and promotion group in Pori tended to show greater improvement in most of their oral health‐related behaviors than those in the reference group, and children in the RCT experimental group showed greater improvement in most of their oral health‐related behaviors than those in the RCT control group. Children can be helped to improve their oral health‐related behavior by intervention, including oral hygiene and dietary counseling, or by implementing a multilevel‐approach oral health‐promotion program.