Capurro Claudia, Romanelli Giulia, Telini Giulia, Casali Virginia, Calevo Maria Grazia, Fragola Martina, Laffi Nicola
Paediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, 16147 Genova, Italy.
Biostatistics Unit, Scientific Directorate, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, 16147 Genova, Italy.
Children (Basel). 2025 Aug 25;12(9):1119. doi: 10.3390/children12091119.
Oral health plays a crucial role in the physical, emotional, and social well-being of children. Data from 2019 indicate that oral diseases remain a major concern in the Italian paediatric population, affecting not only children's health but also caregivers' well-being. This study aimed to assess the importance attributed by Italian families to their children's oral health and correlate parents' perceptions with children's actual oral health status. A total of 131 children aged 0-12 years, admitted to the IRCCS Giannina Gaslini Children's Hospital (Genoa, Italy) for reasons other than dental problems, were enroled between 1 January and 31 December 2024. Parents completed validated questionnaires (ECOHIS or PCPQ + FIS) based on their child's age, along with supplementary questions on socio-demographic background and dental history. Oral examination was performed to assess dmft/DMFT scores, the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN), and the Modified Gingival Index (MGI). In younger children (0-5 years), oral health was generally good, but the presence of caries negatively impacted the family's quality of life. Older children (6-12 years) showed higher rates of caries and gingival inflammation, affecting their daily functioning and emotional well-being. Poor oral health was more common among children of non-European backgrounds and those with lower parental education. Early dental visits, within the recommended 24 months of age, were rare. Despite clear international recommendations, early dental visits remain uncommon, and many children experience preventable oral health issues. These findings highlight the urgent need to improve caregiver education and public health strategies to promote early preventive dental care.
口腔健康对儿童的身体、情感和社会福祉起着至关重要的作用。2019年的数据表明，口腔疾病仍是意大利儿科人群的主要担忧问题，不仅影响儿童健康，还影响照顾者的福祉。本研究旨在评估意大利家庭对其子女口腔健康的重视程度，并将父母的认知与儿童的实际口腔健康状况相关联。2024年1月1日至12月31日期间，共有131名0至12岁因非牙齿问题入住IRCCS吉安尼娜·加斯利尼儿童医院（意大利热那亚）的儿童入组。父母根据孩子的年龄填写经过验证的问卷（ECOHIS或PCPQ + FIS），以及关于社会人口背景和牙科病史的补充问题。进行口腔检查以评估dmft/DMFT分数、正畸治疗需求指数（IOTN）和改良牙龈指数（MGI）。在年幼儿童（0至5岁）中，口腔健康总体良好，但龋齿的存在对家庭生活质量产生了负面影响。年龄较大的儿童（6至12岁）龋齿和牙龈炎症发生率较高，影响了他们的日常功能和情感福祉。口腔健康不佳在非欧洲背景的儿童和父母教育程度较低的儿童中更为常见。在建议的24个月龄内进行早期牙科就诊的情况很少见。尽管有明确的国际建议，但早期牙科就诊仍然不常见，许多儿童面临可预防的口腔健康问题。这些发现凸显了迫切需要改善照顾者教育和公共卫生策略，以促进早期预防性牙科护理。
