Parents' views on factors influencing the dental health of Trinidadian pre-school children.

OBJECTIVE: To describe parents' views on the dental health of pre-school children in Trinidad. BASIC RESEARCH DESIGN: Self-administered 22 item questionnaire by 138 parents and guardians of pre-school children. CLINICAL SETTING: University paediatric dentistry clinic. PARTICIPANTS: Consecutive parents or guardians of pre-school children attending a university paediatric dentistry clinic. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Views on dental health and dental care of pre-school children, perceptions of own oral health and demographic information. RESULTS: Most participants (80 per cent) were educated up to secondary school level and 59 per cent were from homes where the head of the household was either in manual work or unemployed. One-half of the participants (50.7 per cent) felt that teeth of young children should be brushed three times a day, with (75.4 per cent) choosing a small brush. Most participants (65 per cent) considered the position of supervised brushing of childrens' teeth from 'in front' to be the most effective method while 4.5 per cent choose 'from behind'. Twenty seven percent did not know if their child's toothpaste contained fluoride and 82.6 per cent did not know how much fluoride it should contain. Thirty three percent of the respondents had given their child a sweetened baby bottle or comforter at night. Fifty four percent felt a child's first dental visit should be when all baby teeth were present. Forty two percent would want a decayed baby tooth filled, 31.9 per cent would want it extracted and 22.4 per cent were unsure. CONCLUSION: The generally inaccurate factual knowledge and low awareness of preventive care among parents suggest the need for accurate information about factors influencing the dental health of pre-school children. These findings have significant implications for the delivery of effective health promotion strategies and the accuracy of health education messages in Trinidad and Tobago.

Knowledge, attitude and practices towards preventive dental health in the young adult, ages 18-35 years as compared to the elderly ages 65 years and over attending for dental care

Dental diseases in the Caribbean are the most common diseases, but yet its prevention and treatment are the most neglected. Prevention rather than repair, but when problems do arise repairs are the answers. It is estimated that prevention takes much less time and money than treatment and it is better. Dental disease cannot be ignored in any health care delivery system. It is a priority of primary health care in the quest of health for all by the year 2000. In countries where preventive dental care is practiced, there are fewer oral health needs than population served basically by restoration and maintenace type of dental care. A cross-sectional survey was carried out between the period of February and March 1999. A sample of 62 consumers was selected by stratified systematic sampling method, from three health care facilties, two public and one private, in the Kingston and St. Andrew Health Department Zone. The main findings were that a low number of elderly attended the dental health clinic and all obtained curative dental health services. The respondent's choice of dental clinics was influenced by cost, accessibility and quality of the services. There is a need for greater public awareness about preventive dental health. Health education in this area of health is recognised as important but is currently focused primarily on the school population. The main conclusion was that while the majority of the respondents displayed a fairly high level of knowledge, attitude and practices toward preventive dental health, the elderly more than the young adults, there were a high level of Decayed, Missing and Filled permanent Teeth (DMFT) present in both sample groups (AU)

Five year development plan for the Dental Department of Grenada for 1990-1994

Presents details of a plan for the Dental Department aimed at providing adequate dental care to the entire population. The programme is divided into six areas: department structure and administration; preventive dental programme; adult programme; and miscellaneous programmes associated with all of the aforementioned

Five year health sector plan

Presents a plan aimed at guiding the development of the infrastructure, manpower, management and the delivery and provision of health services on the islands of Grenada, Carriacou and Petit Martinique. Objectives include decreasing mortality and morbidity and strengthening the initiatives of health for all by the year 2000. Details on the current health services; priority programmes for health development; health infrastucture and facilities; and details of legislation pertaining to health are given. Also outlines health policy statements of the Government. The general objectives of the plan are outlined and the strategies that should be used to achieve these goals are included

Dental nurses in Trinidad and Tobago

The dental nurse training program in Trinidad and Tobago has made a substantial improvement in the dental operator to population ratio in the islands over the last 10 years. Nevertheless, the 66 dental nurses employed by the Government Dental Service are too few and are unevenly distributed both geographically and in relation to the child population. Further training of dental nurses, to expand the workforce, must be considered, taking into account the priorities for spending in the health care sector. The dental nurses play an important role in improving oral health education to children and pregnant women. An ungoing program of continuing education would help to ensure that their knowledge and skills are kept up to date. Some of the dental nurses encounter problems in their work which, if solved, could improve their efficiency and job satisfaction. These problems include maintenance and supply of equipment and materials. There is also scope for the dental nurse, dentist, and dental assistant to improve their teamwork. There is no doubt that the dental nurses training program has had a big impact on oral health services in Trinidad and Tobago, and expansion of this program is to be recommended. (AU)

Dental health manual

The manual gives a background of dental health in Dominica

The national health and nutrition survey of Barbados, 1981

Reports on a survey carried out to determine the health and nutritional status of Barbadians: establish trends in their health status: and discover whether the results of the health status of a random startified sample of pre-school children would confirm improvements in nutritional status based on hospital statistics. Investoigates the prevalence and association of nutrition-related diseases, such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases and to correlate the findings with socio-economic factors while assessing the prevalence ofundernutrition among the vulnerable groups in the population. Recommends the need to implement measures for the prevention and control of diabetes and associated diseases: improving breastfeeding and weaning practices; monitoring child growth; strengthening dental health services and intensifying efforts to increase quantity and nutrient quality of food through home production(AU)

A review of the school dental health programme in Portland

Caries and Gingivitis were the most common types of dental diseases found among the patients. Halitosis, abscesses, malocclusions and impactions were found to a lesser extent (AU)