Hoda Abdellatif, BDS, MPH, DrPH
Department of Preventive Dental Sciences, College of dentistry, King Saud University, Riyadh 

The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge, opinions and practices of caries prevention and the sources of oral health and fluoride information among the parents of Saudis children. A cross-sectional epidemiological study was carried out in a sample of 550 Saudi parents. The information about oral health and fluoride knowledge was obtained through a self-administered questionnaire. The overall response rate was 64%. From 82% of the respondents who have heard about fluoride, 73% were aware that fluoride could be added to community water supplies. Among those respondents who reported hearing about community water fluoridation, only 19% had precise information about its purpose. Sixty-four percent of respondents who had heard about fluoride learned the information from media such as television or newspapers. Dentists (48%) were the primary source of health information followed by the media (32%). Thirty-five percent of the respondents reported that tooth brushing is the best way to maintain good oral health. It can be concluded that media was the major source of information about flouride to the parents of Saudi children while the dentists are their main source of oral health information.

Saudi Dental Journal 2004:16(1):3-8.