A Study on the Effect of Tooth Brushing Instruction Using Touch Care on Children and Parents at a Mother-to-Child Day-care Nursing Facility

Abstract

It is difficult for intellectually handicapped children to brush their teeth by themselves, so they need tooth brushing by caregivers. Touch care, which involves touching the body of a child with the hands, has the effect of reducing the tension and anxiety of children. Therefore, in this study, instruction on tooth brushing while using touch care for caregivers of intellectually handicapped children was given, and the improvement effects of giving oral health instruction on tooth brushing and changes in the oral environment were examined.

The study participants were 19 intellectually handicapped children and their caregivers who used an institution for disabled children in Aichi prefecture. At the start of the study, the children were orally examined and a saliva test was conducted. We conducted a questionnaire survey on the implementation of tooth brushing and oral health instruction including tooth brushing to caregivers. Six months after the baseline examination, the same examinations ware conducted for the children, and caregivers were asked about changes in implementing their tooth brushing.

As a condition of the tooth brushing by caregivers at the time of the re-evaluation, the number of persons conducting it every day and doing it in the lying-down state increased, and the time taken for tooth brushing tended to be longer. Also, improvements were observed in crying, rampaging, and dislike during the tooth brushing. More than 80％ of caregivers showed satisfaction with participating in this study. There was no significant change in the results of the saliva test.

This study suggests that instruction of tooth brushing while using touch care is effective for managing the oral health of intellectually handicapped children.