Evidence mapPaperPMID 40739490Full record

ArticleBMC public health2025

Evaluation of a Maternal Behavior Change Communication (MBCC) dental public health intervention on pregnant women to prevent early childhood caries in their infants: a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Arun M Xavier, Balagopal Varma R, Radhamany K, Chandrashekar Janakiram, Nigel King, Sherene Alexander, Kavita Rai

Abstract readClinical Trial Protocol
In one paragraph

Article in BMC public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

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No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Arun M XavierPediatric and Preventive Dentistry, Amrita School of Dentistry, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham University, Cochin, Kerala, India. arunmamachan@yahoo.co.in.
Balagopal Varma RPediatric and Preventive Dentistry, Amrita School of Dentistry, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham University, Cochin, Kerala, India.
Radhamany KDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Amrita School of Medicine, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham University, Cochin, India.
Chandrashekar JanakiramDepartment of Public Health Dentistry, Amrita School of Dentistry, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham University, Cochin, India.
Nigel KingPaediatric Dentistry, UWA Dental School, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.
Sherene AlexanderPediatric Dentistry, Charles Sturt University, Orange/Central West, Orange, NSW, Australia.
Kavita RaiDepartment of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry, A.B. Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences, Nitte University, Mangalore, India.

Funding

Grand-in-Aid scheme, Department of Health Research (DHR) of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) R.11015/15/2023-GIA/HR
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundStronger maternal-fetal attachment contributes to less prenatal maternal mental stress and better pregnancy outcomes, ultimately leading to healthier mother-infant relationships and infants with far fewer cognitive, behavioral, and interpersonal issues. The literature suggests that a lack of maternal factors, such as oral health knowledge and prenatal dental care utilization, is directly linked to the incidence of early childhood caries (ECC). The authors hypothesize that innovative maternal behavioral change communication (MBCC) interventions targeting pregnant mothers could help improve the general/oral health literacy and outcomes of both themselves and their infants.

methodsThe study is conducted as a randomized controlled trial (3-arm parallel design) reto assess the ability of an MBCC intervention to develop and strengthen the maternal-fetal/infant bond and encourage awareness and understanding of good oral health, behavior, and practices among expecting mothers and their newborn infants to prevent ECC. Pregnant women (n = 450) aged 20-35 years in the 12th -20th week of gestation will be the sampling frame for the study, which will be extended to a 2-year postnatal period. Women randomized to the study groups will be provided with timely intervention videos that contain information on prenatal bonding and preventive pre- and postnatal oral health care, whereas women in the control group will receive general information via pamphlets, e-flyers, and brochures on preventive oral care for a healthy pregnancy. Oral health screening and counselling will be provided during the follow-up visits of the mother and her infant. The outcome measures will include the incidence of ECC among infants (primary outcome), prenatal/postnatal maternal-fetal/infant attachment measures, maternal oral health knowledge-attitude-practice (KAP), caries risk assessment, and oral health measures (secondary outcomes). DISCUSSION: The study outcomes will be added to substantiate the use of MBCC interventions in reducing the incidence of ECC. A stronger maternal-Fetal/Infant bond may also possibly contribute to babies receiving greater maternal affection and developing a strong sense of trust. If positive, this model of care can be widely applied in clinical practice to ensure holistic health care and thereby achieve sustainable positive health outcomes.

trial registrationClinical Trial Registry India CTRI/2022/07/044124 [Registered on: 19/07/2022].

Indexed as

Dental CariesMaternal BehaviorPregnant PeopleAdultFemaleHumansInfantInfant, NewbornMother-Child RelationsOral HealthPregnancyPrenatal CareRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicYoung AdultBehavioral change communicationEarly childhood cariesInfantsOral healthPregnancyRandomized controlled trial

Identifiers

PMID40739490
PMCPMC12308928

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.