Abstract
This study examined the oral health knowledge of childcare teachers and their awareness of the prevention effects against dental caries. The subjects in this study were 433 childcare teachers in Seoul, Gyeonggi Province, Busan and South Gyeongsang Province, on whom a survey was conducted for five months, beginning in March, 2013. Hospitals (56.6%) were the most common route by which the childcare teachers acquired oral health knowledge. Regarding the distribution of the correct answers on oral health knowledge, every teacher gave the correct answer to the item "When a tooth comes out, it should be kept in milk and then be brought to a dental clinic," and the smallest number of them (35.1%) gave the correct answer to the item "When a tooth comes out, it should be washed with water." Concerning the level of oral health knowledge, the respondents, who worked in Busan and South Gyeongsang Province (p<0.001), who worked in childcare centers with more children (p<0.001), who were younger (p<0.001), and who were junior college graduates (p=0.002) had better oral health knowledge. In regard to the awareness of the prevention effects against dental caries, the respondents who were older (p<0.001) and who were married (p=0.002) were more aware of the prevention effects. According to position and career, teachers who were assistant principals (p=0.023) and had worked for 10 years or more (p=0.009) were more aware of the effects. Therefore, child care teachers should acquire accurate knowledge to improve the oral health of children, and regular training programs for age and education are needed.
보육교사들의 구강보건지식수준과 치아우식증 예방인식도를 조사하기 위하여 서울 경기, 부산 경남지역의 보육교사를 대상으로 2013년 3월부터 5개월간 총 433명을 조사하였다. 보육교사들의 구강보건지식습득 경로는 병원 56.6%로 가장 많았고, 구강보건지식 응답 분포에서 정답률은 "치아가 빠졌을 때 우유에 넣어서 치과에 간다" 100%로 가장 높았고, "치아가 빠졌을 때 물로 씻는다" 35.1%로 가장 낮았다. 구강보건지식 수준은 부산 경남(p<0.001), 원생 수는 많을수록(p<0.001), 교사의 연령이 젊을수록(p<0.001), 학력은 전문대졸업(p=0.002)에서 지식수준이 높았다. 치아우식증 예방효과 인식수준에서는 연령이 증가할수록(p<0.001), 기혼(p=0.002), 직책에서는 원감(p=0.023), 경력에서는 10년 이상(p=0.009)에서 높았다. 아동들의 구강건강의 향상을 위해서는 보육교사들의 정확한 구강보건지식이 습득이 선행되어야 하며, 이를 위해서는 연령에 맞는 교육프로그램을 개발하고 정기적교육이 이루어져야 할 것이다.
