141st APHA Annual Meeting

In This section

292420
Does toothbrushing at school make a difference?

Monday, November 4, 2013 : 1:30 PM - 1:50 PM

Yvette Pigman, BSN , College of Nursing, Illinois State University, Normal, IL
Shelly Malin, PhD, RN, NEA-BC , Mennonite College of Nursing, Illinois State University, Normal, IL
Mary Cranston, MS, RN , Mennonite College of Nursing, Illinois State University, Normal, IL
Carla Pohl, CNM, DNP , Mennonite College of Nursing, Illinois State University, Normal, IL
Background: The World Health Organization estimates 60-90% of school age children worldwide have dental caries. In the United States, dental disease is the most common chronic childhood disease, five times more common than asthma. Forty-two percent of third graders in this community have experienced dental cavities making dental disease a global problem with a significant local impact. Description: The America's Promise School Project (APSP) began as a partnership between the College of Nursing, two school districts, and the county health department, quickly identifying dental disease as a significant problem. A quasi-experimental design was used to compare pre and post dental examinations of three groups of school age children. Group 1 received standardized oral health education created by the American Dental Association, group 2 received the same education and the daily toothbrushing intervention, the control group received the traditional education provided by the school district. Lessons Learned: Information from Scotland's National Health Service Child Smile Core Program provided guidance during the planning and implementation phases of the project. Communication, creativity, perseverance, and the cooperation of the school districts were essential to the success of the study. Recommendations: The toothbrushing intervention coupled with standardized oral health education can potentially reduce the impact of dental disease in school age children. This global problem can be impacted locally with the establishment of effective health promotion education and activities for school age children. The recommendation to continue toothbrushing in schools would be beneficial in the fight against dental diease.

Learning Areas:
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Public health or related nursing

Learning Objectives:
Describe the benefit of implementing toohbrushing as a health promtion activity for school age children.

Keywords: Oral Health Outcomes, Child Health Promotion

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a nurse with more than 20 years experience in a variety of areas including School nursing, public health nursing and pediatrics. I am a member of the America's Promise School Project team, working under the guidance of Dr. Shelly Malin, Ph.D., RN.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.