L. Basir - Department of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
M. Karimy - Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Saveh University of Medical Sciences, Saveh, Iran
S. Khoshroo - Department of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
A. Behbudi - Department of Pediatric Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
R. Azizi Malmiri - Department of Pediatrics Neurology, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
M. Araban - Department of Health Education and Promotion, Public Health School, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran

Aims: Children with epilepsy are exposed to oral disease due to the lack of self-care and antiepileptic medicineschr('۳۹') side effects. The present study aimed to assess the association between motherschr('۳۹') oral health literacy with a child who has epilepsy and the childrenchr('۳۹')s oral health status. Materials & Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed during the fall and winter of ۲۰۱۷ in Ahvaz, Iran. Mothers of one-hundred ۳-۶ yearschr('۳۹') children with epilepsy referred to Golestan hospital were selected through the available sampling method and completed a valid and reliable questionnaire on oral health literacy. The childrenchr('۳۹')s oral and dental health was also examined by a dentist to determine decayed, missed, and filled teeth and simplified oral hygiene index. ANOVA and Pearson correlations were used to analyze data in SPSS ۱۵. Findings: The mean age of mothers, OHI-S index, and the average number of decayed teeth in children were ۳۰.۲۸±۴.۳, ۲.۷۵±۰.۷۵, and ۲.۸۶±۱.۶۵, respectively. Besides, the mean numbers of extracted and filled teeth of children were respectively ۰.۳۱±۰.۴۸ and ۰.۱۹±۰.۴۱. A significant relationship was seen between the motherchr('۳۹')s education and the simplified oral hygiene index. Also, there was a significant relationship between motherschr('۳۹') oral health literacy and decayed, missed, and filled teeth (p<۰.۰۰۵). Moreover, no statistically significant relationship was observed between motherschr('۳۹') oral health literacy and simplified oral hygiene index score (p>۰.۰۵). Conclusion: The present study showed an association between maternal Oral Health Literacy and childrenchr('۳۹')s oral health with epilepsy.

Oral Health, Health Literacy, dmft, OHI-S, Epilepsy