Decades of epidemiological studies have documented high rates of early childhood caries (ECC) among American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) children. The aim of this pilot study was to investigate if a motivational interviewing (MI) intervention improved oral self-care behaviors of AIAN caregivers of infants, and determine if the MI intervention promoted positive changes in caregivers’ ECC risk-related behaviors. Caregivers of infants presenting for well- child visits in a medical clinic were randomized to treatment and control groups. At the first visit, a caries risk test (CRT) for cariogenic bacteria was completed for both groups. The Parental Care of Child’s Teeth (PCCT) was administered at the second visit and used to assess ECC risk-related behaviors. Over the course of four well-child visits, caregivers in the treatment group participated in a MI discussion focusing on behavior changes and desired outcomes for their personal oral health and their child’s. The duration of the intervention was 1 year. The control group was given oral health information traditionally provided at well-child visits. At the fourth well-child visit, the CRT and PCCT questionnaire were administered again. The mean bacterial load for mutans streptococcus (MS) was similar at both visits. A slight reduction in the mean bacterial levels of lactobacilli was observed in both the test and control groups after the last visit, although not at a level of statistical significance. The treatment group showed minimal improvement in child feeding practices and nighttime bottle habits. Motivational Interviewing had little effect on oral self-care behaviors as measured by bacterial load, nor did MI reduce parental risk related behavior for early childhood caries. Clinicaltrials.gov# NCT04286256. Retrospectively registered, February 26, 2020.

中文翻译：

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使用动机访谈来减少父母与儿童早期龋齿相关的风险行为：一项试点研究。

数十年的流行病学研究表明，美洲印第安人和阿拉斯加原住民 (AIAN) 儿童的早期儿童龋齿 (ECC) 发病率很高。本试点研究的目的是调查动机访谈 (MI) 干预是否改善了 AIAN 婴儿护理人员的口腔自我护理行为，并确定 MI 干预是否促进了护理人员 ECC 风险相关行为的积极变化。在医疗诊所进行儿童健康检查的婴儿的护理人员被随机分为治疗组和对照组。在第一次就诊时，两组均完成了致龋细菌的龋齿风险测试（CRT）。第二次就诊时进行了儿童牙齿家长护理 (PCCT)，用于评估 ECC 风险相关行为。在四次儿童健康探访过程中，治疗组的护理人员参加了 MI 讨论，重点关注行为变化以及个人和孩子口腔健康的预期结果。干预持续时间为1年。对照组获得传统上在儿童健康检查中提供的口腔健康信息。在第四次健康儿童访视时，再次进行 CRT 和 PCCT 问卷调查。两次就诊时，变形链球菌 (MS) 的平均细菌载量相似。上次访问后，在测试组和对照组中观察到乳酸杆菌的平均细菌水平略有下降，但未达到统计显着性水平。治疗组在儿童喂养习惯和夜间奶瓶习惯方面的改善甚微。动机性访谈对通过细菌载量衡量的口腔自我保健行为几乎没有影响，MI 也没有减少父母与儿童早期龋齿相关的风险行为。临床试验.gov# NCT04286256。追溯注册日期为2020年2月26日。