ijerph-logo

Journal Browser

Journal Browser

Comprehensive Assessment of Children's Oral Health: Evaluating Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Global Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2025) | Viewed by 482

Special Issue Editor


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Medicine, The University of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia
Interests: dental materials; biocompatibility; oral hygiene; dental education; oral health

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

It is my great honor to serve as the Guest Editor of a Special Issue of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, entitled "Comprehensive Assessment of Children's Oral Health: Evaluating Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices".

Dental caries is a significant public health problem worldwide and affects all age groups, especially children. Frequent tooth brushing, a balanced diet, and regular dental visits are crucial to maintaining healthy mouths.

The acquisition of consistent behaviors in childhood begins at home, with parents playing an essential role in a child's attitude toward oral health; therefore, it is important to emphasize that parents and caregivers should be informed that their dental habits affect children's oral health and, in turn, their quality of life. Furthermore, according to the World Health Organization, health education is essential for improving individuals' health behaviors through learning and experience. Hence, the goal of oral health education is to increase the knowledge of all those involved in a child's upbringing and education to acquire good behaviors, attitudes, and skills that contribute to better oral health.

This Special Issue aims to highlight the importance of education in maintaining oral health and acquiring good oral habits as well as practices in children, which will consequently lead to the preservation and improvement of their oral health.

We invite researchers to submit original and review articles that support ongoing efforts to improve understanding in this area.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Antonija Tadin
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • children's attitudes
  • children’s knowledge
  • dental caries
  • dental trauma
  • healthcare practicians
  • oral disease
  • oral health
  • oral health behavior
  • oral health education
  • oral health literacy
  • oral health practice
  • oral health promotion
  • oral health prevention
  • oral hygiene
  • parental attitudes
  • parental knowledge

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (1 paper)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

19 pages, 1354 KiB  
Article
Awake Bruxism Identification: A Specialized Assessment Tool for Children and Adolescents—A Pilot Study
by Núbia Rafaela Ribeiro-Araújo, Anna Cecília Farias da Silva, Camila Rita Vicente Marceliano and Maria Beatriz Duarte Gavião
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2025, 22(7), 982; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22070982 (registering DOI) - 22 Jun 2025
Abstract
Awake Bruxism (AB) is defined as masticatory muscle activity during wakefulness, characterized by repetitive or sustained tooth contact and/or the bracing or thrusting of the mandible. AB remains less understood than Sleep Bruxism (SB), and its identification remains a methodological challenge. The aim [...] Read more.
Awake Bruxism (AB) is defined as masticatory muscle activity during wakefulness, characterized by repetitive or sustained tooth contact and/or the bracing or thrusting of the mandible. AB remains less understood than Sleep Bruxism (SB), and its identification remains a methodological challenge. The aim of this study was to introduce the Awake Bruxism Identification Tool (ABIT), developed for children and adolescents aged 8 to 12 years, to facilitate the identification of AB. The tool integrates data from self-reports, clinical examinations, and the Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA). It comprises questionnaires using a five-point Likert scale, an analog EMA component involving color-based responses, and a clinical inspection. The tool adopts the concept of an “AB Spectrum”, as it generates individualized scores based on the combined outcomes of these multiple assessment components. The ABIT was piloted with ten families to evaluate its comprehensibility, applicability, and reliability. The results demonstrated that the participants found the questions understandable, that the tool had a minimal impact on daily family routines, and that it required approximately 5–10 min to complete. Additionally, the test–retest reliability indicated temporal stability. In terms of identification, four children were classified within the “AB identified by report and self-report,” while three were identified through the “report, self-report, and EMA.” Based on participant feedback, adjustments were made to the instrument, including the addition of an item addressing Sleep Bruxism. Although the ABIT is being applied for the first time in a research setting, it presents a promising, clinically relevant approach grounded in the self-perception of children and their caregivers. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop