Mother’s Knowledge of Toothbrushing Techniques and the Incidence of Dental Caries in Preschool Children: A Systematic Literature Review

Ulfie Rahmah Aliyah; Dwi Sepriarini

doi:10.31965/dtj.v8i1.2541

Authors

Ulfie Rahmah Aliyah Department of Dental Health, Politeknik Kesehatan Kemenkes Surabaya, Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia
Dwi Sepriarini Department of Dental Health, Politeknik Kesehatan Kemenkes Surabaya, Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31965/dtj.v8i1.2541

Keywords:

Mother's Knowledge, Toothbrushing, Dental Caries, Preschool Children

Abstract

Dental caries is one of the most common oral health problems among preschool children and can affect children’s health, growth, and quality of life. One factor suspected to contribute to the occurrence of dental caries is the mother’s level of knowledge regarding proper toothbrushing techniques. This study aimed to analyze the relationship between mothers’ knowledge of toothbrushing techniques and the incidence of dental caries in preschool children. The study employed a systematic literature review method by examining various national and international scientific articles obtained from several relevant databases. Data collection was conducted through the stages of literature searching, selection, and analysis based on the relevance to the research topic. The data were analyzed descriptively using a qualitative approach to identify patterns in the relationship between mothers’ knowledge, toothbrushing practices, and the incidence of dental caries among preschool children. The findings revealed that mothers’ knowledge is associated with children’s oral health maintenance behavior, particularly in establishing proper and regular toothbrushing habits. Mothers with higher levels of knowledge tend to implement more optimal dental care practices, thereby reducing the risk of dental caries in children. In conclusion, mothers’ knowledge plays an important role in preventing dental caries among preschool children through the implementation of proper and consistent oral health behaviors.

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