Oral health and hygiene among preschool age children from migrant and seasonal farmworker families

Preschool age children of Latino farmworkers are at risk for early childhood caries and subsequent oral health (OH) problems; many face significant barriers in accessing dental care. We compare OH and hygiene between migrant and seasonal farmworker children and note disparities between maternal knowledge and practices.

The Niños Sanos Study is a cohort (N=248) of mothers and preschool age children from migrant and seasonal farmworker families recruited in North Carolina. Mothers reported the child's OH condition, hygiene behaviors, and professional care, as well as their beliefs about child OH in response to the Behavioral Risk Factor Questionnaire of the NIDCR Centers for Research to Reduce Disparities in Oral Health.

At interview, children averaged 44.3 ± 7.4 months. Migrant mothers rated their child's OH condition and OH-related quality-of-life significantly worse than did seasonal mothers. 87% of children had ever had teeth examined by a healthcare provider, and 83% had had fluoride varnish applied in the previous year; rates did not differ between migrant and seasonal families. Children enrolled in Head Start were more likely to have had examinations and varnish applied than those not in Head Start. Mothers exhibited high levels of knowledge of proper child oral hygiene, but rates of recommended practices were substantially lower.

Farmworker families, particularly migrants, frequently live in crowded, substandard housing and share facilities with other families. Steps to help families achieve appropriate OH practices should prioritize behaviors and problem-solve with mothers ways to best meet child OH needs in the context of farmworker living conditions.