The Relationship of Parents Knowledge Level and Socioeconomic Factor to Oral Health of Down Syndrome Children

Abstract

Different conditions of the oral cavity in children with Down syndrome which are compared to children without Down syndrome increase higher parents knowledge and the risk factors in maintaining oral health of children with Down syndrome. Correlation test with descriptive analytic by survey techniques was aimed to know the relationship of parents knowledge level and socioeconomic factor to oral health of Down syndrome children 6-12 years old in Bandung. Thirty three Down syndrome children in 6-12 years old and their parents from six special needs schools-C were recruited to this study. The data of parents knowledge and socio-economic factor were gathered from questionnaire that had been validated. The oral health of Down syndrome children was recorded using def-t and DMF-T index examination. Analysis had been made between variables using Pearson and Chi-square test (p value <0.05). There was no significant relationship between socioeconomic factors and parents knowledge to oral health of Down syndrome children (p>0.05). Caries is a disease with complex causal factors. Socio-economic factors are not the only determinants of oral health status of children with mental retardation, such as a child with Down syndrome.