KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICE OF ORAL HYGIENE AMONG NURSING STAFF IN PEDIATRIC CARE HOSPITALS IN RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA

Pediatric nurses have the greatest contact with mothers and children among health care providers, so the aim of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of oral hygiene among the nursing staff in Riyadh hospitals, Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 350 randomly selected pediatric nurses. The data was collected using a self-administered structured questionnaire under four main sections: demographic details, knowledge, attitude, and practice. Chi-square test was used, and data was entered and analyzed using SPSS Version 23 with a statistically significant value of P < 0.05. Results have showed that 58.7% of the participants did not have oral health care courses in their nursing curriculum, and only 21.4% had attended oral health training programs. The majority of the participants were aware of the importance of good oral health for the child's overall health. 60% knew the correct timing of teeth eruption, 20% were aware of the risk of transmitting dental caries. Almost all nurses consider oral health care as a part of nursing care and oral diseases are preventable. However, 21% consider cleaning the patient’s mouth an unpleasant task, and 33.3% consider oral health care delivered by nurses is insufficient. The majority examine the oral cavity and perform oral hygiene practices. Only 22.2% reported that they had an oral health training program. 80% emphasize on regular dental checkups, demonstrate oral hygiene techniques, document oral findings, and refer patients to the dentists. Pediatric nurses’ have a concerning level of knowledge regarding oral health care and should be encouraged to promote oral health to their patients. Keywords: Pediatric Nurses; Oral Health Behavior; Nursing staff; Oral Hygiene