RESUMO
To determine knowledge and attitude of Saudi mothers towards their preschool children's oral health. One hundred and one mothers [of children aged 16 to 40 months] attending well-baby clinics at Security Forces Hospital Polyclinics in Makkah Al-Mukarrama participated in the study. A questionnaire was used to collect the required information. A great majority [92.1%] of the mothers agreed that "baby teeth are important for child's general health. Similarly, 90.1% of the mothers agreed that "using fluoridated toothpaste helps to prevent tooth decay". About four in every ten mothers [43.6%] agreed that a child should be allowed to use a bottle at-will when he/she becomes able to hold it. More than half of the mothers [54.5%] agreed that letting baby sleep with bottle still in the mouth was of no harm to teeth. A significantly [p=0.04] higher percentage of high Socioeconomic status [SES] mothers as compared to middle SES mothers [85.9% versus 55.6%] agreed that "frequent feeding with milk or milk formula is of no harm to baby's teeth". A significantly [p=003] higher percentage of the middle SES mothers as compared to high SES mothers [66.7% versus 17.4%] agreed that a child should only visit a dentist in case of a dental pain/problem. The mothers need to be educated in several important areas related to feeding, diet and first dental check-up visit of their children