Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40566379›Full record

ArticleInternational journal of environmental research and public health2025

Parental Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices and Their Association with Dental Caries in Children Aged 5-9 Years: A Cross-Sectional Study in Rural Ecuador.

María Saquicela-Pulla, Mónica Dávila-Arcentales, Eleonor Vélez-León, Ana Armas-Vega, María Melo

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Article in International journal of environmental research and public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

María Saquicela-PullaSchool of Dentistry, Hemisferios University, Quito 170527, Ecuador.
Mónica Dávila-ArcentalesComprehensive Oral Health Research Group (GIISO), Universidad Politécnica Salesiana, Cuenca 170527, Ecuador.ORCID 0000-0002-5098-6133
Eleonor Vélez-LeónSchool of Dentistry, Catholic University of Cuenca, Cuenca 010107, Ecuador.ORCID 0000-0001-7002-9990
Ana Armas-VegaSchool of Dentistry, Hemisferios University, Quito 170527, Ecuador.ORCID 0000-0003-3800-8166
María MeloDepartment of Stomatology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Valencia, 46010 Valencia, Spain.ORCID 0000-0003-1120-3308

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Childhood dental caries remains a critical public health issue in rural areas, where caregivers' knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) significantly influence oral health outcomes. This study assessed the association between parental KAP and the prevalence and severity of caries in children aged 5-9 years in Cayambe, Ecuador.

methodsA cross-sectional study was conducted with 229 schoolchildren and their caregivers, using a validated questionnaire and clinical examinations (ICDAS criteria). Caries severity was categorized as "obvious decay" (ICDAS 4-6) or "no obvious decay" (ICDAS 0-3).

resultsAdvanced dental caries affected 73.4% of children (ICDAS 4-6). While parental knowledge and attitudes showed no significant association, brushing teeth ≥2 times/day significantly reduced caries severity (

conclusionOral hygiene practices-particularly frequent toothbrushing-were the key protective factor against severe caries, highlighting the need for behavior-focused interventions promoting daily habits. Future research should evaluate long-term preventive strategies.

Indexed as

Dental CariesHealth Knowledge, Attitudes, PracticeParentsAdultChildChild, PreschoolCross-Sectional StudiesEcuadorFemaleHumansMaleOral HygienePrevalenceRural PopulationSurveys and Questionnairescaregiver practiceschildhood oral healthcross-sectional studydental cariesEcuadorhealth promotionICDASoral hygiene

Identifiers

PMID40566379
PMCPMC12192894

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.