Another study by Patel et al. (2021) was conducted to determine knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding oral health among parents of children with congenital heart disease in India. The results showed that 65% of the participants agreed that teeth are as important as any part of the body. Half of the population (53%) answered that oral hygiene is not important, even if their child has congenital heart disease. Almost all believe dental treatment is usually done before their child’s heart surgery. 53 answered that oral health was not mentioned by their pediatrician when their child was diagnosed with congenital heart disease. Thus, concluding that there is a need to raise awareness about preventive dental health care measures by educating parents of CHD children. Both pediatric dentists and pediatricians should work hand in hand to implement preventive programs and provide dental education to parents at an early stage of the child’s life.
Meanwhile, the objective of the research conducted by Habte and Mekasha (2019) was to assess the level of dental knowledge, habits, and attitudes among parents of children with congenital heart disease at Tikur Anbessa Hospital. The study’s findings indicated that parents are advised to take care of their child’s dental hygiene regularly. The majority of individuals held the belief that the management of toothache was as significant to the care of any other body component. Parents lack awareness of the importance of frequent dental visits for their children. Typically, individuals refrain from seeing the dentist due to their belief that it is unnecessary. Researchers also found that the majority of parents were not adequately educated about the significance of oral hygiene in reducing the occurrence of infective endocarditis.
In their study, Bsesa et al. (2023) identified three factors contributing to the suboptimal oral health in infants with congenital cardiac problems. Initially, parents of children with congenital heart defects (CHDs) often lack awareness regarding the crucial significance of oral hygiene in preventing dental ailments that might impact their child’s overall health and quality of life. Furthermore, general dentists exhibit hesitancy in administering CHDs to patients who are already predisposed to experiencing bacteremia and endocarditis. Furthermore, families of children with congenital heart disease (CHD) do not receive sufficient information from pediatric cardiac disease specialists on the need of dental care. Thus, it is crucial for pediatric dentists and pediatric cardiologists to work together and play a significant role in promoting awareness, providing education, and enhancing the overall oral and general health of kids with congenital heart disease (CHD).