Knowledge, Attitude, and Perception of Oral Health Among Parents of Children at Risk of Infective Endocarditis: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Infective endocarditis (IE) is a serious complication primarily affecting patients with cardiac conditions. It is widely recognized that oral microorganisms contribute to the development of IE. Objectives: The objective is to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and perception of parents of children at risk of IE by studying the preventive measures employed by them. Materials and methods: A self-constructed questionnaire composed of 14 questions was distributed among parents of children aged 0-12 years with known cardiac diseases. The parents/caregivers who were attending the pediatric outpatient clinics at King Fahad Medical City (KFMC) were selected randomly. Results: A total of 112 parents responded to this questionnaire. Almost 50% of the participants in this study reported that their children do not brush their teeth regularly, with only 12.5% of them brushing twice a day. Regarding the role of parents in supervising oral hygiene, 62.5% of them stated that they only provide advice but do not watch their child brush their teeth, and only 9.8% of parents are actively involved in advising and watching their children brush their teeth. In this study, 95.5% of parents agreed that maintaining good dental health was crucial for overall body health, and 58% of the participants showed interest in receiving more education about oral health and its impact on overall well-being. To assess the statistical significance, a nonparametric Pearson's chi-square test for fitness was employed. A p-value of ≤ 0.05 was used to report the statistical significance of the results. Conclusion: While the parents demonstrated adequate knowledge of oral health, their attitudes toward it were lacking. So, both parents and children require a modification in their attitudes toward dental care and oral health.