Knowledge, Awareness, and Practice of Pediatricians Regarding Infant Oral Health Care and Early Childhood Caries in the State of Assam, India.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Pediatricians are the first point of contact for evaluating a child's health. Hence, our study was done to evaluate the knowledge, awareness, and practice of pediatricians regarding infant oral health care and early childhood caries (ECC) in the state of Assam. METHODS: A close-ended questionnaire was circulated among the pediatricians of Assam. Data regarding knowledge, awareness, and practice involving the oral health of children and ECC was collected. RESULTS: A total of 110 pediatricians participated in the study and the data obtained was subjected to chi-square analysis. Most of the participants (n=64, 67%) displayed adequate knowledge regarding dental caries and the way to identify them. Although most of the participants knew about practices leading to dental caries, they were lacking in knowledge regarding the deleterious effect of bottle feeding and related habits 65 (50-60%). Also, most of the participants (n=69, 62%) failed to educate the caregivers of the child regarding early dental visits. CONCLUSION: The majority of pediatricians displayed adequate knowledge regarding dental caries and their prevention but failed to educate the parents and caregivers of children regarding the importance of first dental visits and the maintenance of oral health.