Parental Oral Health Literacy on Mobile Dental Application and its Impact on Children’s Oral Health Status: A Cross-Sectional study in a Dental Opd in Coimbatore

Aim: To assess the association between parental knowledge regarding mobile dental applications and the dental health status of their children. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among 120 children (3–12 years) and their parents who reported to the Department of Paediatric and Preventive Dentistry, RVS Dental College, Coimbatore. Data were obtained through a validated questionnaire assessing parental awareness of mobile dental applications, and the dental caries status of the children was determined using the DMFT/DMFS index. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to identify associations. Results: Only 18.3% of parents were aware of mobile dental applications. The DMFS scores of children whose parents were aware of such apps were lower (median: 4.0) than those of children whose parents were not aware of mobile dental applications (median: 7.0; p = 0.022). Mean DMFT scores decreased with an increase in the child’s age. Conclusions: Parental awareness of mobile dental applications is associated with better oral health outcomes (lower caries experience) in children. Initiatives to enhance parental awareness through digital platforms may serve as an effective strategy to improve paediatric oral health