Strengthening Dental Health through School Health Program: A Call for Prevention of Dental Caries among Indian School children

Abstract

Oral health is essential for general health and well-being throughout the lifespan and is a mark of overall health status. Research and other advances in oral health have led to safe and effective means of maintaining oral health and preventing dental caries. To determine the effectiveness of structured teaching program on prevention of dental caries among school children. An experimental study was conducted among school children, in a selected school at Kanyakumari District. Sixty school children selected using simple random technique for their knowledge on prevention of dental caries was assessed using pretested and validated tool. The pre-test knowledge was 23% adequate and 27% adequate among experimental and control group respectively. There was a statistically significant difference in mean score of post-test among experimental and control group15.4±3.3 and 9.4±2.7 respectively, (p<0.001). There was a statistically significant association between pre-test level of knowledge and selected socio demographic variables age (0.019), academic year (0.019) and mother’s occupation (0.00004) number of siblings (0.00003). The study has great implication for school health nurses, Anganwadi workers on educating children on dental hygiene and prevention of dental caries which can improvise the dental hygiene practices, helps to have young generation free form dental caries. The school education department in the state and central can initiate policies and proper evaluation system at various level to promote dental health.