Oral health practices and knowledge among parents and hired caregivers

To investigate the oral healthcare practices and knowledge of parents and nannies in Kuwait.

A cross-sectional interview-based survey was carried out on parents and nannies to explore their demographics, oral health care practices and knowledge. Independent t-test was used to assess differences in practice and knowledge between parents and nannies. Multiple linear regression compared practice and knowledge of parents and nannies, adjusting for age, time spent in childcare, national origin, education, governorate of residence and number of other children in the household.

Three-hundred caregivers were interviewed, parents (N = 146, 49%) and nannies (N = 154, 51%). Parents had a higher mean practice score (parents 3.25, nannies 2.69, p < 0.001), but a similar knowledge score to nannies (parents 38.0, nannies 37.6, p > 0.48). Governorate of residence predicted lower practice scores for parents residing north of the Kuwaiti capital compared to those residing elsewhere (β = − 0.571, p < 0.05). Education weakly predicted lower practice scores for nannies beyond high school, but better scores for parents with a college degree. Education also predicted higher knowledge scores among nannies with college degrees (β = 2.249, p = 0.06), but for the lower knowledge scores (β = − 3.693, p = 0.08) among parents with college degrees.

Caregivers’ oral health practices and knowledge scores were good. However, nannies had poorer child oral healthcare practices. Results highlight the need to involve nannies in child oral healthcare education.