Background: In Malaysia, preschool teachers have long been utilised as oral health educators. However their level of oral health knowledge and effectiveness of the training they received are seldom investigated. This study aims to evaluate the of oral health education seminar (OHE) held for public preschool teachers (KEMAS) in terms of the improvement of their knowledge, practices and attitudes.
Methods: This was a one arm interventional study (before and after survey following OHE seminar intervention). All KEMAS preschool teachers (n=107) in Hulu Terengganu were invited to attend OHE seminar which consisted of 1 hour lecture and 40 minutes OHE demonstration. Pretest questionnaire was collected before the seminar started and post-test questionnaire was collected two weeks later. A self-administered questionnaire used in this study was adapted from “preschool teachers’ knowledge, practices and attitudes towards oral health”, National Oral Health Survey of Preschool Children, 2005. Data were analysed using descriptive and McNemar test, SPSS version 15.0.
Results: Of 107 subjects, only 61 teachers responded yielding to 57% response rate. All subjects were female with mean age of 46 years (SD: 6.03). Overall, there was an improvement of teachers’ oral health knowledge, practices and attitudes after the seminar. Several items seem to have be improved significantly after the seminar, for example knowledge item on factors causing periodontal disease (p=0.03). In terms of practice, all teachers reported they brushed teeth at least twice daily using fluoridated toothpaste and use of dental floss was increased significantly after the seminar (p<0.001). Majority of teachers have positive perceptions on their roles in oral health education.
Conclusion: Oral health education seminar appeared to be effective at influencing certain aspects of teachers’ oral health knowledge, practices and attitudes.
Keywords: attitudes, knowledge, oral health promotion, practice, preschool teachers
Ionising radiation (IR) has been extensively used as therapy and diagnostic modality to detect abnormalities inside a human body. Interaction between IR and cells can lead to production of free radicals. This study aims to evaluate radioprotective properties of 50% watermelon juice against low dose ionising radiation (LDIR)-induced stress in mice lung and liver tissues following 14 days of juice supplementation. Eighteen (18) ICR mice were randomly divided into three groups, negative control (Cx), radiation (Rx) and treatment group (Tx). The Cx group was treated with normal diet and filtered water while the Rx group was given a normal diet, filtered water and irradiated with 100 µGy x-ray; Tx group was fed a normal diet, 50% watermelon juice and irradiated with 100 µGy x-ray. After 14 days, level of superoxide dismutase (SOD), reduced glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in lung and liver tissues were evaluated. The SOD inhibition activity revealed a significant decrease in Rx and Tx compared with Cx (p