This study evaluates the level of dental knowledge among 328 antenatal mothers from different ethnic groups and ascertains the importance of the various sources of dental information. The mothers were interviewed based on a structured questionnaire. Most mothers knew about the number of sets of teeth they possessed throughout their life. This was most evident among the Chinese and least among the Malays. Only 42.7% of the mothers interviewed were positive about the preservation of their teeth throughout life. This belief was highest among the Chinese followed by the Indians. However about 40% of the Chinese believed that tooth decay is hereditary. Generally the principal sources of dental information cited by most mothers were television or radio followed by dentists, school and family. This order of importance was similarly observed among the Malays and Chinese. However, among Indians, family members represent the second most important source of dental information. The implications of these findings are discussed.
A total of 537 dentate adults from nine randomly selected government dental centers in three states in Malaysia were interviewed to assess their preference for either exodontia or preservation of teeth when they experience toothache, or have carious anterior or posterior teeth. The assumptions tested were i) patients prefer exodontia rather than preservation when they have toothache, and ii) patients are more willing to have posterior teeth extracted than anterior teeth for caries. Both these assumptions were rejected. Even though the majority of the subjects preferred preservation (59%) when having toothache, exodontia was the treatment of choice in a large proportion of subjects (41%). Significant differences in preference were found among the various ethnic, educational, income, and age groups. However, when ethnicity was held constant, binary regression indicated that the variations observed were determined by education, income, and age groups and not by ethnicity.