Changes in young children's oral health-related behaviours and caregiver knowledge: A cluster randomized controlled trial in Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention to improve young children's oral health-related behaviours and caregiver knowledge. METHODS: This paper reports on findings from a cluster randomized controlled trial, 12 months after of baseline, conducted in Pelotas, Southern Brazil. Two Primary Healthcare Centers (PHCs) and 170 caregiver-child dyads were assigned to an intervention group, and two PHCs and 174 dyads were assigned to a control group. Children's oral hygiene behaviours, sugar consumption and use of dental services were the outcomes analysed as well as changes in caregiver knowledge. The impact of the intervention was assessed using multilevel mixed-effects model regressions and the change rate ratios (IRR) were expressed. RESULTS: There were positive and significant changes in favour of the intervention group in children's oral hygiene behaviours, use of dental services, and caregivers' knowledge of oral health. For example, children in the intervention group were more likely to have brushed with fluoride toothpaste at least two times a day (IRR 1.43, 95% CI 1.06-1.92), to have brushed their teeth before bedtime (IRR 1.37, 95% CI 1.02-1.84), and to have used dental services for preventive care (IRR 2.54, 95% CI 2.02-3.19) than children in the control group. CONCLUSION: This intervention had positive effects on children's oral health-related behaviours and caregivers' oral health knowledge.