Effectiveness of a Training Program in School Teachers on the Role of Sugars in Oral and General Health

Cureus. 2022 Sep 6;14(9):e28865. doi: 10.7759/cureus.28865. eCollection 2022 Sep.

Abstract

Background: Schools have a powerful influence on children's development and well-being, and school teachers are considered role models to transmit life values and instill health-related behaviors. The effectiveness of a training program for school teachers in understanding the role of sugars and their impact on oral and overall health has not been previously reported.

Aim: The present study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a training program for school teachers on the role of sugars in oral and general health.

Methods: An interventional study was carried out on 308 Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan school teachers to evaluate the effectiveness of a training program in improving school teachers' knowledge of the role of sugars in oral and overall health. The training program was carried out using a training module, and a validated questionnaire was utilized to assess school teachers' knowledge before and after the training program.

Results: The overall evaluation of mean knowledge change scores revealed significantly higher scores after the training program (8.12 ±1.58) when compared with the pre-training scores (6.84±1.66) Conclusion: A training program on the role of sugars in oral and general health effectively improved school teachers' knowledge.

Keywords: health education; health promotion; oral health; oral health promotion; school teachers.