A Comparative Study to Assess the Effectiveness of Brushing Techniques on the Primary School Children’s of the Selected Schools of Bagalkot, Karnataka, India

Healthy, clean, strong and good teeth are like a valuable possession, but usually people don’t care for the protection of tooth.¹ Healthy children are successful learners. Primary school children represent about 95% of total population. The health care of the primary school children can contribute to the overall health status of the country. ² Oral Health is an integral component of general health. It has also become clear that causative and risk factors in oral diseases are often the same as those implicated in the major general diseases (WHO, 2003).³ In children, tooth brushing remains the most efficient and long-term method to remove the dental plaque. Individual dexterity and motivation of children also determines the capacity tousle the toothbrush. Use of tooth brush also varies accordingtotheageofthechildren.⁴ Most of the parents might not know the proper method of tooth brushing technique that is to be followed. Currently, there is not a single recommended method that can be taught to all children. Parents might instruct the children to follow their own method of brushing which may be right, wrong or partially correct method.⁵ The overall health, well - being, education and development of children, families and communities can be affected by oral health. Though there has been considerable improvement in the oral health of children in the last few decades, dental caries (tooth decay) still remains one of the most commonly occurring oral health problems in the children all over the globe ⁶ Toothbrushing is the most commonly recommended and practised oral hygiene habit. It is the primary mechanical means of eliminating substantial amounts of plaque in order to avoid oral diseases such as gingivitis and dental caries, as well as reducing halitosis and helps in maintaining dental aesthetics. ⁷ A toothbrush is an instrument used to clean teeth, consisting of a small brush on a handle. Toothpaste, often containing fluoride, is commonly added to a toothbrush to aid in cleaning. Toothbrushes come in manual and electric varieties. Although there is conflicting evidence as to which is more effective, most evidence points to electric toothbrushes with an oscillatory motion being more effective than manual toothbrushes, with toothbrushes lacking an oscillatory motion being equivalent.⁸ It has been reported that training on tooth brushing techniques is very useful in improving oral hygiene, and that dentists should also take into account the manual dexterity of the patients [Hayasaki et al., 2017]. ⁹

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

• To assess the Brushing technique of Basaveshwara primary, pre-primary and junior primary school children.
• To assess the Brushing technique of Shri motagi basaveshwara pre-primary and Junior primary school children.
• To compare the Basaveshwara primary, pre-primary and junior primary school children and

Shri motagi basaveshwara pre-primary and Junior primary school children between the age group 6-14 years.

• To find out the association between the brushing technique of Basaveshwara primary, pre-primary and junior primary school children and their selected demographic variable.
• To find out the association between the Brushing technique of Shri motagi basaveshwara pre-primary and Junior primary school children and their selected demographic variable

METHODS

It was a comparative study with an aim to assess to assess the effectiveness of brushing techniques on the primary school children’s of the selected schools of Bagalkot,” Karnataka, India.

Study participants: The study participants were children from 6 years to 13years of age residing in Bagalkot District. The data was collected from 120 children as per data obtained from CDPO office Bagalkot, there are 2,71,908 children within 6 years to 13 years of age in Bagalkot district, out of which 78,015¹⁰

Setting of the data: The study was conducted in Bagalkot city the total number of students with primary school children’s about 27(13.43). were we selected two schools from Bagalkot city to compare the brushings technique among primary school childrens.                                                                                   The researcher enrolled 60 subjects from both schools respectively.

Sampling technique: The sample was selected by simple random sampling technique by convenient method is used. the researcher selected two schools Basaveshwara primary junior primary school bagalkot another one added school motagi basaveshwara pre-primary primary, junior primary school Bagalkot were researcher selected school for data collection. The sample selection criteria included the children above 6 years who were available and willing to participate, by giving consent for participation of their children. The children feeling sick and not able to provide data were excluded from the study.

Data collection instruments:

Structured questionnaire prepared by the researcher was used to Data collection was done through an interview-based questionnaire. The interview-based questionnaire involved questions regarding personal information, brushing techniques, brushing frequency, how often are their toothbrushes changed, if any other brushing aids are used, and toothbrush type.

Translation and reliability of data collection instruments

The instruments were translated in to Kannada language and retranslated in to English. Similarity between original and translated tool were ascertained by linguistic experts. The reliability of all 4 tools was established by test method. The tools were administered to 12 children. Karl Spearman’s rank order correlation were used r=0.8 tools were reliable for conducting the study.

Data collection procedure: The data was collected from 10-01- 2025 to 26-01-2025. Prior permissions were taken from 2 school to collect data from each school. The children were Screened according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. Consent was obtained from the participants. Instructions were given regarding content of data collection instruments. The researcher attained and clarified the doubts of participants during data collection. The filled tools were collected from the participants. On an average around 15 minutes were spent on data collection from each children’s.

Ethical clearance: Ethical clearance certificate was obtained from, B.V.V.S Institute of Nursing Sciences and institutional ethical clearance committee. Bagalkot. Written consent of participation was obtained from participants before data collection.

Statistical analysis: The data was analysed using SPSS version 28. The obtained data was entered in MS excel sheet. The data was edited for accuracy and completeness. The categorical responses were coded with numerical codes. The data was presented with frequency and percentage distribution tables and diagrams. The description of base line characteristics, maternal autonomy and dietary practices was presented with Arithmetic mean, median and standard deviation. Multi logistic regression analysis and Odds ratio were used to associate the child nutritional status with maternal autonomy and dietary practices.

RESULTS:

I:  Discerption of the sociodemographic variables of Basaveshwara primary, pre-primary and junior primary school Bagalkot.

• depicts that the majority 91.6% of basaveshwara school children were in the age group of 11-12 years, followed by this 5% of basaveshwara school children’s were in the age group of 5-7 years, 3.3% of basaveshwara school children’s were in the age group 8-10 years.
• The majority of 55% of the basaveshwara school children were in the male children’s, followed by this 45% of the male childrens.
• Depicts that the majority of 83% of Hindu religion were as the 16.6% of the muslim religion basaveshwara school childrens.
• The majority of 90% of the urban childrens were as 8.3% of the rural childrens .and 1.6% 0f the semi urban childrens of basaveshwara school childrens.
• Depicts that the majority of 43% of nuclear family were as the 40%% of the joint family, and 16.6% of the extended family of basaveshwara school childrens.
• The majority of 51% fathers were secondary education ,33% of the primary education and 15% of illiterate.
• Depicts that the majority of mothers about educated 38% of secondary education completed ,37% of the mother were completed primary education rest of the 25%mothers are illiterate.
• Majority of mothers were occupation about 43% cooli work,39% of the mothers were housewife and rest of the mothers doing business.
• Depicts that the 52% of the fathers were doing business, 30% of the fathers are farmers and rest of them are cooli work doing.
• The monthly income of the childrens are 48 % of 5000-10000 ,37% of the 2000-50000 and about 15% are above 10,000 monthly income.
• The majority of basaveshwra children’s they pick first ans about 80% answered,10% for second option and 10% of third option were children’s picked.
• Depicts that 55% of children’s have no cavities, and about 45% of children’s were having family history of cavities.
• The source of information about  dental childrens were secured through teachers about 67%,28% through the television and rest of the 5%information get trough news papers.

II: Discerption of the sociodemographic variables of Shri motagi basaveshwara pre-primary and Junior primary school Bagalkot.

• The age group 93% are in 12-14 yr childrens, and rest of 7% are the 10-12 yr childrens.
• The gender is about 57% are female childrens while other 43% are the males involved in this study.
• The depicts 73% are the Hindu childrens while 27% are the Muslim childrens are present in the study.
• The majority of childrens residence about 68% are reside in urban city were as 32% are from rural areas.
• The family the childsrens belongs is to 53% are nuclear family,47% are belongs to joint family in this study.
• The depicts 73% of childrens father education is primary education, while others about 27%of fathers are illiterate.
• The majority of mothers are educated 50% of mothers were primary educated,48% of mothers are illiterate while 1.6% of mothers are doing business.
• The mothers occupation about 52% of mothers are house wife. while others about 48% are doing cooli.
• The most of the fathers are about 73% are business, while others about 27% of fathers doing a cooli job.
• The depicts 88% of childrens monthly income under 2000-5000 rupees, 12% are under less than 2000 rupees monthly income.
• Most of the childrens were marked that 57% having 4 types of teeth, while other 43% of childrens marked that they having 2 types of teeth.
• The depicts 55% of childrens have a family history of cavities, other were about 45% are no any history of cavities.
• According to childrens thinking level the source of information about dental can get 87% through newspaper, others about 13% through television.

PART II

Table 3.1: Frequency and Percentage of distribution of Basaveshwara pre-primary and primary school bagalkot