495 - Barriers and Facilitators to Oral Health of Children at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital

Purpose: To understand the barriers and facilitators to oral health faced by parents at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital.

Methods: The first 52 participants who agreed to participate, and whose child fit the study criteria, were included in the survey. The child had to be healthy, age 2 to 6, and had at least one decayed tooth. The survey asked questions about parent’s perception of why their child has dental caries as well as factors that make it easier or harder to care for their child’s teeth. The data from the surveys was recorded and then analyzed using SPSS analysis.

Results: From the 52 participants, 48% and 42% reported that the child’s behavior and having a set routine are the 2 factors that make it easier to brush their child’s teeth. The top 2 challenges while brushing are child being defiant (46%) and parent being too busy (29%).  Twenty five participants (48%) reported being the only adult responsible for brushing as a barrier, and 92% of parents acknowledged that primary teeth are important. All participants reported that their child consuming a lot of sugar and poor oral hygiene as the highest contributing factors to caries. The most challenging barrier is difficulty getting an appointment.

Conclusion: The greatest barrier to care is difficulty getting an appointment. Positive behavior and attitude towards brushing are 2 of the greatest facilitators for good oral health, while the child’s poor behavior and parent being busy are the 2 most common reported barriers to better oral health care. 

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