Action taken in managing dental health of children due to mother's oral health literacy level

ABSTRACT

Background@#The index of dental care needs of children from year to year tend to increase as shown in the results of the National Basic Health Research (Riskesdas). Children are individuals who still need the involvement of parents, especially mothers, in determining the attitudes and actions they will take to manage their dental health.@*Methods@#This study is a cross-sectional research in which a total of 108 women of childbearing age were randomly selected. An assessment was carried out on the actions taken by the mother in managing her child’s dental health using the HU-DBI instrument (Hiroshima University Dental Behavioral Inventory), and Health Literacy in Dentistry (HeLD), to see the relationship with the level of dental health literacy they have.@*Results@#There was a significant difference in the aspect of understanding, in different decision making (p=0.044) between the group of mothers who had a low HeLD score (3.52±0.77) and the group of mothers who had a high HeLD score (3.70±0.46).@*Conclusion@#The results showed that the aspects of understanding, ability to receive-treat-translate dental health information, and literacy level would lead to different actions in managing children’s dental health.