Dentistry and Oral Health, Department of Rural Clinical Sciences, La Trobe Rural Health School, La Trobe University, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia
Violet Vines Marshman Centre for Rural Health Research, La Trobe Rural Health School, La Trobe University, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia.
BMJ Open. 2022 Oct 13;12(10):e056269. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-056269.
Dental decay is a major problem among Australian children. It can be prevented through good self-care and limiting sugar intake, but many parents/caregivers lack the skills and confidence to help their children adopt these practices. This trial will evaluate the efficacy of a web-based online programme, in improving children's oral health-related behaviours (toothbrushing, snacking practices and dental visits) and related parenting practices, thereby preventing dental caries.
This is a cluster, parallel-group, single-blinded, randomised controlled trial of an online intervention for parents/caregivers of children aged 2-6 years. From the City of Gold Coast (Australia), 18 childcare centres will be randomly selected, with equal numbers randomised into intervention and control arms. Intervention arm parents/caregivers will receive access to a web-based parenting intervention while those in the control arm will be directed to oral health-related information published by Australian oral health agencies. After the completion of the study, the intervention will be offered to parents/caregivers in the control arm. The primary outcome of this trial is toothbrushing frequency, which will be assessed via Bluetooth supported smart toothbrushes and parent/caregiver report. Data on other outcomes: parenting practices and child behaviour during toothbrushing, consumption of sugar rich foods and parents' confidence in dealing with children's demands for sugar rich food, and dental visiting practices, will be collected through a self-administered questionnaire at baseline (before randomisation), and 6 weeks (primary endpoint), 6 months and 12 months after randomisation. Data on dental caries will be collected at baseline, 12 and 18 months post-randomisation.
Ethical approval has been obtained from Human Research Ethics Committees of Griffith University (2020/700) and the University of Queensland (2020002839). Findings will be submitted for publication in leading international peer-reviewed journals.
ACTRN12621000566831.
龋齿是澳大利亚儿童的主要问题。通过良好的自我保健和限制糖的摄入量可以预防龋齿，但许多家长/照顾者缺乏帮助孩子养成这些习惯的技能和信心。本试验将评估基于网络的在线计划在改善儿童口腔健康相关行为（刷牙、零食习惯和看牙医）和相关养育实践方面的功效，从而预防龋齿。
这是一项针对 2-6 岁儿童家长/照顾者的在线干预的群组、平行组、单盲、随机对照试验。从黄金海岸市（澳大利亚）中随机选择 18 所幼儿中心，将数量相等的幼儿中心随机分为干预组和对照组。干预组的家长/照顾者将获得访问基于网络的养育干预的机会，而对照组的家长/照顾者将被引导至澳大利亚口腔健康机构发布的口腔健康相关信息。研究完成后，将向对照组的家长/照顾者提供干预。该试验的主要结果是刷牙频率，将通过蓝牙支持的智能牙刷和家长/照顾者报告进行评估。其他结果的数据：养育实践和儿童在刷牙时的行为、含糖食物的消耗以及父母在处理儿童对含糖食物的需求方面的信心、以及看牙医的习惯，将通过基线（随机分组前）、6 周（主要终点）、6 个月和 12 个月随机分组后，使用自我管理问卷进行收集。将在基线、12 个月和 18 个月后随机分组时收集龋齿数据。
格里菲斯大学人类研究伦理委员会（2020/700）和昆士兰大学（2020002839）已获得伦理批准。研究结果将提交给主要的国际同行评审期刊发表。
ACTRN12621000566831。
