Long-term effectiveness of the midwifery initiated oral health-dental service program on maternal oral health knowledge, preventative dental behaviours and the oral health status of children in Australia

Authors

  • Ajesh George a Australian Centre for Integration of Oral Health (ACIOH), School of Nursing & Midwifery, Western Sydney University, Liverpool, Australia; b Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, Australia; c School of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Surry Hills, Australia; d La Trobe Rural Health School, La Trobe University, Bendigo, Australia; e Translational Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, Australia
  • Ariana Kong a Australian Centre for Integration of Oral Health (ACIOH), School of Nursing & Midwifery, Western Sydney University, Liverpool, Australia; b Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, Australia
  • Mariana S. Sousa a Australian Centre for Integration of Oral Health (ACIOH), School of Nursing & Midwifery, Western Sydney University, Liverpool, Australia; b Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, Australia; f IMPACCT (Improving Palliative, Aged and Chronic Care through Clinical Research and Translation), Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, Australia
  • Amy Villarosa a Australian Centre for Integration of Oral Health (ACIOH), School of Nursing & Midwifery, Western Sydney University, Liverpool, Australia; b Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, Australia
  • Shilpi Ajwani a Australian Centre for Integration of Oral Health (ACIOH), School of Nursing & Midwifery, Western Sydney University, Liverpool, Australia; c School of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Surry Hills, Australia; g Sydney Dental Hospital, Oral Health Services, Sydney Local Health District, Surry Hills, Australia; h Sydney Institute for Women, Children and Families, Sydney Local Health District, Surry Hills, Australia
  • Hannah G. Dahlen a Australian Centre for Integration of Oral Health (ACIOH), School of Nursing & Midwifery, Western Sydney University, Liverpool, Australia; e Translational Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, Australia
  • Sameer Bhole a Australian Centre for Integration of Oral Health (ACIOH), School of Nursing & Midwifery, Western Sydney University, Liverpool, Australia; c School of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Surry Hills, Australia; g Sydney Dental Hospital, Oral Health Services, Sydney Local Health District, Surry Hills, Australia; h Sydney Institute for Women, Children and Families, Sydney Local Health District, Surry Hills, Australia
  • Albert Yaacoub c School of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Surry Hills, Australia; i Oral Health Services, Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District, Kingswood, Australia
  • Ravi Srinivas a Australian Centre for Integration of Oral Health (ACIOH), School of Nursing & Midwifery, Western Sydney University, Liverpool, Australia; b Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, Australia; c School of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Surry Hills, Australia; j Oral Health Services, South Western Sydney Local Health District, Liverpool, Australia
  • Maree Johnson k Faculty of Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, North Sydney, Australia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1080/00016357.2022.2108896

Keywords:

Oral health, dental decay, caries, pregnancy, mother

Abstract

Background

The Midwifery Initiated Oral Health-Dental Service was developed to train midwives to promote maternal oral health, and a large trial showed it substantially improved the oral health, knowledge and behaviours of pregnant women.

Aim

Evaluate the long-term effectiveness of the program (post-trial) on maternal oral health knowledge, dental behaviours, and early childhood caries in offspring.

Methods

A prospective cohort study involving 204 women and children 3–4 years (followed after trial) was conducted in Sydney, Australia from 2017 to 2019.

Results

The program did not have a significant impact on the study measures. Mothers who received the program did have comparatively better knowledge around preventative behaviours to reduce early childhood caries and significantly more mothers were engaging in a key behaviour of using a cup to feed their child. Overall maternal oral health knowledge and level of education did have a protective effect on the dental decay of children. Higher knowledge and levels of education reduced the odds of having a dmft of one or more by over half (OR 0.473), and almost 80% (OR 0.212) respectively.

Conclusions

Although the MIOH-DS program was not effective, there is still value in exploring other complementary interventions to improve maternal oral health, especially for disadvantaged families. Future research should focus on co-designing an antenatal and postnatal oral health intervention and exploring its long-term impact on the oral health of children.

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Published

2023-02-17

Issue

Vol. 81 No. 2 (2023): Acta Odontologica Scandinavica

Section

Articles